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 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
/ 
 
 y 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME, 
 
 BY 
 
 SANDFORD FLEMING, C.E., C.M.G., Etc. 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 OTHER PAPERS, COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS 
 IN THE POSSESSION OF 
 
 THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE 
 
 RESPECTING 
 
 THE MOVEMENT FOR REFORMING 
 
 THE TIME-SYSTEM OF THE 'VORLD, 
 
 AND ESTABLISHING 
 
 APRIMEMERIDIAN" 
 
 AS A ZERO COMMON TO ALL NATIONS 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE 
 
 COUNCIL OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 
 
 TORONTO: 
 COPP, CLARK & CO., PRINTERS, 67 & 69 COLBORNE STREET. 
 
 1885. 
 
 K 
 
COSMIC TIME 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 ^°- Paok. 
 
 1. Introductorv Notes, explanatory of the publication of the several 
 
 documents, under the authority of the Canadian Institute v 
 
 '.'. Paper by Mr. Sandford Fleminj,' on Universal or Cosmic Time, 
 
 read bjfore the Canadian Institute, Dec. *20th, 1884 5 
 
 SUPP1.EMENTARY PAPERS, COMMUNICATIONS AND 
 
 REPORTS. 
 
 3. Memorial of the Canadian Institute to Ui-s Excellency the Governor 
 
 Geoeral of Canada, submitting papers on 'i'ime-reckoning and a 
 Prime Meridian, read during the Session, 1878-79 27 
 
 4. His Excellency the Marquis of Lome, Governor-General of Canada, 
 
 to Sir M. E. Hicks-Beach, Colonial Secretary, London. (21st 
 May, 1879) 29 
 
 5. Memorandum of the Canadian Institute, accompanying papers trans- 
 
 mitted to the British Government. (May, 1879) 29 
 
 (). Professor R. Ramsay Wright, Secretary of the Canadian Institute, 
 
 to His Excellency the (Jovernor-General. (June 24th, 1879) 30 
 
 7. His Excellency the Marquis of Lome, Governor-General, to Sir M. 
 
 E. Hicks-Beach, Colonial Secretary, London. (July I2th, 1879) 31 
 
 8. Sir M. E. Hicks-Beach, Colonial Secretary, to the Marquis of Lome, 
 
 Governor-General, Canada, (Oct. loth, 1879) 31 
 
 9. Sir M. E. Hicks-Beach, Colonial Secretary, to the Marquis of Lome, 
 
 Governor General. (Oct. 17th, 1879) 32 
 
 10. Sir G. B. Airy, Astronomer Royal, Greenwich, to the Secretary of 
 
 State for the Colonies. (18th June, 1879) 32 
 
 11. Professor Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, to the 
 
 Colonial Office, London. (Aug. 3()th, 1879) 35 
 
 12. Professor Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, to the 
 
 Colonial Office, London. (Sept. 5th, 1879) 35 
 
 13. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to the Secretary of State 
 
 for the Colonies. (Oct. 4th, 1879) 38 
 
 14. Sir M, E. Hicks-Beach, Colonial Secretary, to His Excellency the 
 
 Marquis of Lome, Governor-General. (13th Nov., 1879) 38 
 
 15. G. G. Stokes, Esq., Secretary of the Royal Society, to the Colonial 
 
 Office. (Nov. 6th, 1879) 39 
 
IV 
 
 SrPI'LKMKNTAlJV I'AJ'RIi.S, ETC. 
 
 10. Memoramlum by Dr. Daniel mison, Presi.lent of the 'Janadian In-'''''' 
 stitute, for transmission with second issue of Mr. Sandford Fkm- 
 ing's papers, by His Excellency the (Jovernor-General. (April 
 
 41) 
 
 17. Note from His Excellency the Governor-General of Canada, transmit- 
 
 ting Mr. Sandford Fleming's papers, together with Eeport of the 
 American Mctrological Society, to various Scientific Societies in 
 Kurope. (May 12th, 1880) 
 
 18. The Imperial Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, to His Excel- 
 
 lency the Governor-(ieneral of Canada. (Oct. 29th, 1880) 44 
 
 ly. Keport to the Imperial Aca.lemy of Science, St. Petersburgh by m" 
 Otto .^truve. Director of the Astronomical Observatory Lt Pul" 
 towa. (Sept. 30th, 1880) ,. 
 
 20. Reniarks presented with a Spanish Translation of Mr Sandford 
 
 Fleming's papers, by Don Juan Pastorin, Lieutenant- Commander 
 ot the Spanish Navy. (April 30th, 1881) 49 
 
 21 . The Geographical Society of Berlin. Remarks upon a Normal Time 
 
 to^be^ common to the whole earth, by Dr. G. v. Boguslawski. 
 
 22. Address by Mr. Sandford Fleming, Delegate of the Canadi"an Institute "' 
 
 and the Aniencan Metrological Society, at the International 
 Geographical Congress at Venice. (September 21st. 1881) 50 
 
 23. .Remarks on the Cosmopolitan scheuve for regulating Time, by Prof 
 
 it^ton. ST''' ^"P"""*'^"'^^"' '^ ""'^''^'^^ Almanac, Wash^ 
 
 24. The Italian Geographical Society. Examination of the scheme' of 
 
 Time reform, by M. Ferdiuando Borsari. (1883) ,; ^ 
 
 25. Report on the Washington International Conference, to the Canadian 
 
 Government, by Mr. Sandford Fleming, Delegate of Great Britain 
 representing Canada. (31st December, 1884) ,57 
 
 26. Appendix to Report on the Washington Conference ....... "" 7I 
 
 27. His Excellency the Governor-General. Canada, to the President of 
 
 the Canadian Institute 
 
 28. The Earl of Derby, Colonial Secretary. London, to His Excellency! 
 
 the Marquis of Lansdowne. Governor-General of Canada 
 (March 17th, 1885) ^^ 
 
 29. Observations on the Resolutions of th. Washington Meridian Con- 
 
 ference. By M. Otto Struve, Pultowa, Russia ^4 
 
 ■¥. 
 
 -ii.' 
 

 I'll 
 
 r 
 
 n . 
 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The documents included in this fasciculus not being part of the 
 ordinary transactions of the Canadian Institute, their publication by 
 the Institute calls for a word of explanation. 
 
 During the winter session of 1878-1879 Mr. Sandford Fleming, one 
 of the earliest members of the Institute, communicated to the So- 
 ciety two remarkable papers— one on " Time-Reckoning," and the 
 other on " The Selection of a Prime Meridian to be Common to all 
 Nations, in Connection with Time-Reckonincr." 
 
 These communications were of such world- .vide interest, the 
 questions discussed were of such practical importance, that the 
 Council of the Institute thought it desirable that they should be 
 brought officially under the notice of as many leading learned 
 societies as possible, both on this continent and in Europe ; this 
 seemed all the more desirable inasmuch as the suggestions made by 
 Mr. Fleming could only be carried out by the united action of the 
 civilized nations of the world, and such action could be best secured 
 through the intervention of the national scientific societies. 
 
 The Council accordingly addressed a memorial to the then Gov- 
 ernor-General, the Marquis oi Lome, requesting him to transmit 
 Mr. Fleming's communications to the Imperial Government and to 
 the representative learned societies of Europe and America. His 
 Excellency kindly acceded to their recjuest, and in forwarding the 
 papers to these scientific societies, he invited them to communicate 
 to him their views upon the proposals discussed in the papers. The 
 replies received have been placed by His Excellency at the disposal 
 of the Institute, and are included in this volume. 
 
 In publishing these replies, and the other documents which 
 accompany them, the Institute is influenced by the desire to 
 preserve a full and permanent record of the hist<*y of this interest- 
 ing scientific movement, from its first practical discussion before 
 the Canadian Institute in the winter of 1878, until the virtual 
 
VI 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 adoption of Mr. Klei^iing's views by the International Scientific 
 Conference at Washington in 1884. 
 
 fn a paper read during the last winter before the Canadian Insti- 
 tute and included in this fasciculns, Mr. Fleming has given an inter- 
 esting history of the whole movement, he has pointed out the share 
 which many learned societies in Europe and America have taken in 
 the work. He lias honourably mentioned the names of many 
 scientific njen who have assisted in the discussion, nor has he 
 fcrgotten to notice in what way the Institute has helped forward the 
 movement. To his owcy continued earnest and honourable labours 
 in t!ie cause Mr. Fleming has made no reference. This omission 
 the Institute is constrained to notice in justice to Mr. Fleming and 
 in justice to themselves. They may say what he has left unsaid, 
 that his efforts have contributed in no small degree to the adoption 
 of an initial Meridian common to all nations, and that he has un- 
 questionably been the initiator and principal agent in the movement 
 for reform in Time- Reckoning and in the establishment of the Uni- 
 versal day. The Institute cannot, perhaps, better express the debt of 
 gratitude which the civilized world owes to Mr. Sondford Fleming in 
 this connexion than by ([uoting from the accompanying paper from 
 llio pen of the distinguished Astronomer Royal of Russia, M. Otto 
 Struve: "It is," he writes, "through Mr. Fleming's indefitigable 
 personal labours and writings that influential individuals and Scien- 
 tific Societies and Institutes in America and Europe have 1)een won 
 over to the cause." 
 
 It is gratifying to the Institute to be able to put forward so honour- 
 able and independent a testimony to the value of Mr. Fleming's 
 labours in this scientific revolution, and it is also to them a source of 
 satisfaction to rellectthat Mr. Fleming's views were first communicated 
 to the Institute, of which he is one of the earliest and most honoured 
 members, and furtlxjr, that through their printed transactions, those 
 views were brought prominently under the notic:: oi the scientifirc 
 world. 
 
 AV 
 
 \ 
 
 ■r 
 
 -M\ 
 
UNIVERSAL ()]{ COSMKJ TIME, 
 
 Ha,d hi-foi-i- the Cnadiaa l„.Hiful,; iittk nr-^mh,;: ISS'„ 
 n\ MU. SANDK(tRl) FLEMING, C.M.G. 
 
 ■' 'i 
 
 n^ 
 
 On the first day of the month the Presi<h,nt of the ITi.ited SUtos 
 m liis niossage at th.i (,,.euing of Oouirress, rorenv.l to the Interna- 
 tional :Meriiliiui Conference hitely convened in \Vashini,4on, in the fol 
 bwino; words :—•' Til.- ."OMfere.uM. conehided its h.ho.'u-.s on the first 
 of November, havin- with suhstantial unanimity ajrreed upon the 
 meridian of Greenwich as the starlin^,^ jH.int whoncc longitnil.. is to 
 be computed throngli one hun<b-ed and eighty <legrees eastward and 
 westward, an<l upon tlie adoption for all purposes foi which it m.iv bo 
 found convenient of a Universal Day, which sliall begin ar midnight 
 on the initial m(;ridian. and whose hours sh,dl b(, counted from zero 
 up to twenty-four." 
 
 The Canadian Institute is peculiarly interested in this announce- 
 ment No socit'ty, literary or scientific, has taken a more important 
 part in the initiatioii of the movement to reform om- Time-system, 
 of which the success is, to some extent, iiulicatod in the President's 
 words. It therefore appears to mv fit and pmp.M' thi.t F should 
 recall to your attention the various steps which from time to time 
 Jiave been taken, so that we may possess a. record of the events which 
 have led to the now almost genei-al recognition of the lujcessity for a 
 new notation." 
 
 Six years ago on several occasions the meetings of the Institute 
 were engaged in discussing the subject of Time-reckoning and the 
 selection of a Prime Meridian common to all nations. Papers were 
 read and arguments were advanced, with the view of showing the 
 necessity of establishing a cosmopolitan or universal time, by wldch 
 the events of history might be more accurately lecorded, and which 
 would respond to the more precise demands of science, and generally 
 satisfy the requirements of modern civilization. The proceedintrs of 
 the Institute for January and February, 1879, give at consider^lble 
 length the views submitted and the suggestions offered to meet the 
 
UNIVERSAL OR COiHIC TIME. 
 
 new conditions of life. While on the one hand it was argued that 
 the introduction of a comprehensive scheme by which time could be 
 universally reckoned was highly desirable, it was equally maintained 
 that the determination ot a common Prime Meridian for the world 
 waa the key to its success, and that the establishment of such a 
 meridian, as a zero, recognized by all nations, was the first important 
 st«p demanded. 
 
 These proceedings were brought under the notice of His Excel- 
 lency the Mavquis of Lome, then Governor-General of Canada. 
 In the name of the Institute, they were submitted, in tlie form of a 
 memorial,* with the hope that His Excellency would nve fit to lav 
 them before the Imperial Government, that they would by these 
 means obtain the attention of the several scientific bodies throughout 
 Europe, and that some general systematic effort would be made in 
 the right direction to secure the important objects sought to be 
 attained. 
 
 Through the good offices of His Excellency, copies of the Canadian 
 Institute Proceedings found their way to the British Admiralty, the 
 Astronomer Royal, Greenwich, '''he Astronomer Royal for Scoiland, 
 Edinburgh, The Royal Sooiet; The Royal Geographical Society, The 
 Royal Astromomical Society, The Royal United Service Institute, 
 and other societies of eminence and weiglit in the United Kin<''dom. 
 Copies of the papers were likewise sent through the Imj)erial Gov- 
 ernment to the Governments of the following countries, viz. : 
 
 FRANCE, 
 
 ITALY, 
 
 THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 AUSTRIA, 
 
 BRAZIL, 
 
 JAPAN, 
 
 SPAIN, 
 
 SWITZERLAND, 
 
 GREECE, 
 
 CERMANY, 
 
 NORWAY AND SWEDEN, 
 
 RUSSIA, 
 
 BELGIUM, 
 
 DENMARK, 
 
 THE NETHERLANDS, 
 
 PORTUGAL, 
 
 TURKEY, 
 
 CHINA. 
 
 In the year following, the American Metrological Society issued a 
 Report of the Committee on Standard Time. The Report bears the 
 name of Mr. Cleveland Abbe, the Cjiairman of the Committee, 
 and ti.e date of May, 1879. It draws attention to manv of the 
 causes calling for the establishment of accurate time, and the 
 
 * See juigi; 27, 
 
 ■ rf 
 
 ■V 
 
UNI'/EHSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 » « 
 
 • # 
 
 'xy 
 
 attempts made since the tstablishni-'nt of the electro-magnetic tr>le. 
 gnij.h to make the notation of time synchronous. While pointing 
 out that this result had been obtained in Groat Britain through 
 the efforts of Professor Airy, Mr. Cleveland Abbe gave a list of the 
 various observatories on thia continent which are in possession of the 
 necessary apparatus and force proper to furnish astronomically accu- 
 rate time l)y telegraph. Writing in February, 188f», while giving 
 the resolution adopted by the society, recommending the adoption 
 oi" accurate time by telegniph from an established astronomical ob- 
 servatory, Mr. Cleveland Abbe points out that the subject of accu- 
 rate time had been t.;ken up by the Horological Bureau of the 
 Winchester Observatory of Yale College, and that the most perfect 
 apparatus had been received for the purpose o*' distributing New 
 York time with tbe highest degree of uniformity and accuni.y. 
 
 Mr. Cleveland \bbe's own remarks on the subject are of high 
 value. He forcibly points out the difficulties ax..i inconveniences u^n- 
 der which railway operations in America labour from the want of a 
 proper system of time. To show this fact in greater force, he gives 
 the sev(.nty-four standards then followed. These several standards 
 lie proposed to set aside and replace by standards each differing one 
 hour, or \fj'' of lonmtudo. 
 
 While recommending this course, the Report sets forth that the 
 change could only be i-egarded as a step towards the absolute uniform- 
 ity of all time-pieces, an<l the Society pas.sed resolutions, that abso- 
 lute uniformity of time is desirable; that the meridian six hours 
 west of Greenwich should be adopted as the N^ational Standard to be 
 used in common on all rnilways and telegraphs, to be known as 
 "Railroad and Telegrapli Time;" that after July 4th, 1880, such 
 uniform Standard Time should be the legal standard for the whole 
 country, and that the State and National Legislatures should be 
 memorialized on the subjec. . 
 
 Mr. Cleveland Abbe in this report alhuled to the previous pro- 
 ceedings of the Canadian Institute. 
 
 The active sympathy of the Marquis of Lome greatly aided the 
 movement of Time-reform in its early sta^zes. In 1879, in his 
 official [)osition as Governor-General, he had been the recipient of 
 the pa].ers published by the Canadian Institute, and had transmitted 
 them to Great Britain, and through the Imperial Government to 
 the several European centres. In 1880, it was learned that the 
 
Ill 
 
 -^ 
 
 jH 
 
 ^ UNIVERSAL OH COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Report to the Aruericim Metrological fSocioty. above alluded to. 
 ■.vould shortly be issued. Accordingly, advance copie.s were ol)tained 
 iVoni Ne^ Vcak, and, together with additional papers issued by this 
 Institute. ^"^ they were transniitte.l by His lOxcellency to the following 
 H:uropean Societies, and the special atteutio- of tlieir incmb<>rs was 
 directed to the documents themselves : 
 
 1 The Institut dc Franco Paris. 
 
 -'. Sociuti) de Geoyraphie . , Paris 
 
 .".. Socicti' Beige de (ii^ogi-aphie BriisscL"-. 
 
 1. Konigliche Preus.si .jhe Akademio (ler Wissensohiit'ten. BeHiii. 
 
 ~K Geeellschaft I'iir Erdkuude Herlin. 
 
 0. Kaisurliuhe Akadcmie dor Wisbjiischai'ten \'ieiin;!, 
 
 r. K. K. (-.fographischf ( Josclldcliaft Vieunii 
 
 }.. Nicolaevskaia Glavnaia Obsorvatoria J'ultow.i. 
 
 y-. Iiupor. Punisskae (Jleogralicheskoo 0()s<;iii stou St. Pet rslmr"-. 
 
 !0. hiiTK'r. Akailemia Nauk St. Petcrslmm. 
 
 1 1 . Soeit'tc le Gi'-ogr.iphio (ioncva. 
 
 By tills means attention was obtained for the subject in Europe, 
 and when I submit evidence of the fact, f think you will agree witli 
 me, thaf no liti hi uf the success which lias attended the movement 
 IS owing to our late Goveruor-lJeneral. We must all acknowledge 
 how mucii wt! are imiebted to him for the great personal interest lie 
 has always sliown mi the subject. We are ctjrtainly warranted in 
 forming the opinion, tliat the dissemination of these papers, under 
 such distinguislied auspices, awakened ;ittention to the arguments 
 they contain, and prepared the way for the sultsequent action taken 
 at the International (leographical Congress at Venice, at the Geo- 
 detic (Jongr-ss at Home, ami more recently at the Conference at 
 Washington. 
 
 Mr. Wilhehn Forst' r, director of the Berlin Oljservatory, enteis 
 into the subject at h^ngth in a paj)er " Zur Beurtheilung l^lhiigei- 
 Zeitfragen, insbesondere gegen die Einfiihrung einer deutschen Noi'- 
 malzeit." [A Review of some considerations on Time, especially 
 against the introduction of German National Uniform Time]. 
 
 Mr. F6rsl(;r proceeds to say . The British Government is now 
 transmitting, tii rough its representatives, although at the same time it 
 declares itwelf neutral, a proijosition which has been j)ublished by a 
 society of scientitic men in Canada, which aims at the establishment 
 
 * See Commu!ii(,ationH printed with this. 
 
 id-" 
 
UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIMR. 9 
 
 of a cosinopolit;*!! Jioniml datum (Prime Meridian) and of XJniTersal 
 Time, and also the estabLislmuMit, of 21 meridians of an hour apart, 
 l)y whicli local time will he absorbed. Thefiis< j»ioposal j\Ir. Forster 
 describes as an iiupui-tant sign of th- times ;u i' cvidentl}' favours it. 
 He strongly protests against the establishmeut of a National Ger- 
 man Time r but fur railway business, and for such matters of commu- 
 nication as reipiire precision, also for the form of expression of all 
 scieutiHc relations to dmo, ^Ir. Fiirstei- points out that :\ rniversal 
 Time eommoji to (he wliole world is to b:* recommended. 
 
 Dr. (!. von Hogusl.iv.ski, in (In; VerlKimlliingen iicr desellsi^hafi 
 r'ilr MrJknnJ:, (Tran.sactions of the iTeographical Society of Berlin"), 
 commends tlu? new sclh.'me as it has been put forth in the Canadian 
 Instituti! jjapers, and foretells that it will bf m matter- of fact in a 
 short time. 
 
 Uol. Aden, Din-cim- of the Military School, Belgium, lias two 
 papers in the Bnlletut, dv. hi. Soclcte Behjede O'i'ographir. He supports 
 the proposal lo establish I niversal Time, ami expresses th(! opinion 
 that lougitiido ihroiighout tlie world shouhi h.iN-ea common iioiation, 
 dating from one universally accepted Prime Meridian. 
 
 Col. Wauverman, Pj'esident of the Ceographical Society of Ant- 
 werp, in the P>uli;'tin of t'lat society, 1882, advocatr's the cliange, 
 and with ability meets the arguments raisvul against ic, showin >■ thon 
 to be groundless auvl arising from a want of thoi'oughly understand- 
 ing the (juestion. 
 
 In Spain, tin; proi)osals ha\ e met with iull su|tport. All the papers 
 issued by the Canadian Institute have been ti-ans!uted an<^ published 
 in a pamphlet of 80 i)ages by the Pevista Cenei'al de Marina. The 
 translator, J)on Juan Pastorin, an oliicer of the S^tanish na\-v, is 
 warm in his commendation of the scheme, and takes a wise and com- 
 jtrehensive view of the whole <piestion. The Spanish Coverument 
 secured the advantage; of this gentleman's services as Delegate to the 
 Washington Conference. 
 
 M. Otto Struve, the w(dl-known Astronomei- and Director of the 
 Imperial Ol)servatory, Pultowa, reports on the pa[»ers transmitted by 
 Lord Lome to the Imperial Academy of Science. St. Petersburg. 
 He gives his adherence to the establishment of Tniversa! Time, based, 
 as suggested, on a Prime Meijidian common to the whole globe, and 
 strongly advocates counting the hours in one series up to twenty -four. 
 In England, the Iluyal Society considered frtvo iiitblj^ both the 
 
^l i - i mt i nrii i f i -ir- nw itmtMmmmmmti 
 
 10 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 establishment of a Universal Time and the determination of a com- 
 mon Prime Meridian. While the present Astronomer Koyal, Mr. 
 Christie, takes a favourable view of the question, his predecessor, Sir 
 G. B. Airy, reported unfavourably. The report of the Astronomer 
 Royal for Scotland, Prof. Piazzi Smith, is decidedly adverse. These 
 documents have been transmitted to the Institute.* 
 
 In Italy, the Italian Geographical Society has given its count-^n- 
 ance to a work by Mr. Fernando Bosari, who, in a pamphlet of 68 
 pages, reviews the whole question at length, and lays down three 
 principles: 1. The determination of a Zero-meridian ; 2. The estab- 
 lishment of Cosmopolitan Time based upon it ; 3. The notation of 
 the hours from 1 to 24 in a continuous series. 
 
 The question of Universal Time and the selection of a Prime Meri- 
 dian is discussed with ability in a paper published by M. Thurv, 
 professor at the University of Geneva. 
 
 At the meeting of the Association for the Reform and Codifica- 
 tion of the Laws of Nations at Cologne, Prussia, in 1881, the 
 question of regulating time on the new system was considered and 
 resolutions moved. 
 
 In the same year (1881), the sub;ject occupied the attention of the 
 International Geographical Congress at Venice, at which a Delegate 
 from the Canadian Institute attended. The general question was 
 warmly discussed, and resolutions adopted. The appointment of an 
 InternaHonal Conference to meet at Washington, specially to consider 
 the question, was then suggested by the Canadian Delegate, and 
 warmly supported by gentlemen representing the Government 
 and scientific societies of the United States.* The President 
 of the Congress communicated the resolutions to the Italian Gov- 
 ernntent, and Prince Teano, on behalf of the Italian Government, 
 undertook to conduct the oflicial correspondence. Out of this appears 
 to have sprung the important discussion at the meeting of the Inter- 
 national Geodetic Association at Rome, in October, 1883, when the 
 utility of Universal Time was recognized, and a special International 
 Conference for the establisJiment of a Zero-meridian for Longitude 
 and Time recommended. 
 
 Returning to this side of the Atlantic, the question of i-egulating 
 time for railway, telegraph, and civil purposes generally, was consid- 
 ered at the Convention of the American Society of Civil Engineers 
 
 * See Documents jirinted witli this. 
 
 m 
 
 1 
 
 V 
 
• 
 
 It 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 11 
 
 held at Montreal, June 15, 1881, and a committee of men engaged 
 in the management, and familiar with the economy of railways, ap- 
 pointed to examine the question. The committee has reported from 
 time to time. They recognized that a proposition to reform the 
 general time system of the country was a problem beset with diffi- 
 culties, but it did not appear to them insolvable. It was felt, how- 
 ever, that the question affected so many interests that any change 
 could only be effected by general concurrence. 
 
 To attain the end proposed by this society, the papers bearing on 
 the question were printed, and a scheme modified on the proceedings 
 of the Canadian Institute was drawn up, under the title of " Cos- 
 mopolitan scheme for regulating time." 
 
 I may briefly recall the features of the scheme. 
 
 There should be one standard of absolute time, a Universal Day, 
 based on the mean solar passage, at one particular meridian, the 
 Prime or initial meridian for computing longitude. This Prime 
 Meridian, together with the Universal Day, to be observed by all 
 civilized nations. 
 
 There should be 24 secondary or Hour-meridians established, 
 15 degrees of longitude apart, beginning with the Prime Meridian as 
 zero. 
 
 To distinguish the Universal Day from local days, it should bear 
 the title of " Cosmic Day." * 
 
 Cosmic Tune is intended to be used to promote exactness in chron- 
 ology, and to be employed in astronomy, navigation, meteorology and 
 in synchronous observations throughout the world. To be employed 
 in ocean telegraphy and generally in all operations non-local in 
 character. 
 
 The several twenty-four Meridians to be used as standards for local 
 time iiround the globe. Applying the system to North America, the 
 effect would be to reduce tbe standards to four or five, as suggested 
 by the Motrological Society. 
 
 A circular, dated March 15th, 1882, signed by Mr. John Bogart, 
 the Secretary of the American Society of Civil Engineers, was^for- 
 
 * [NOTI.-I may remark, that the designation "Cosmic" was first suagostid, independently 
 l.y two Canadian gentlemen widely separated, by Mr. U. G. Haliburton, then in Algiers and 
 by Mr. Thomas Hector, of Ottawa. The etynmlogy commends tlie use of tlie word. It has 
 been accepted by a numbci of societies and by many individuals as api)roi.riatc and 
 applicable.] 
 
12 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 warded to the leading men in railway direction, either as general 
 managers, superititendents or engineers, and to men of scientific attain- 
 ments throughout the United States and Canada. The papers thus 
 circulated contained eleven questions,' and categorical replies were 
 invited to them. 
 
 Replies were received and re))orted on at a Convention of the 
 Society, held in Washington on the 17th May, 1882. The scheme 
 submitted was generally and cordially apjiroved. 
 
 An em})hatic and unanimous opinion was expressed, that theic 
 should ho established as early as possible a comprehensive system of 
 Stanilard Time for North America. 
 
 Of those who replied to the queries, Tunety-five per cent, favoured 
 the idea that tlicre .should be n common agreement between tin' 
 Standiirds of Time in all couutries. That while we must primarily 
 look to our own convenience on this continent, it is proper to aim 
 at eventually attaining general uniformity among all nations. 
 
 Seventy -six {)er cent, were in favour of reducing the Standards in 
 North America so that they would difler only by intervals of one 
 hour, and ninety-two per cent, were in fa\our of a notation of the 
 hours of the day in a single series from 1 to 21, instead of in two 
 divisions, each of twelve hours. 
 
 The character of the replies received indicated that a remarkable 
 imanimity of opinion prevailed in every section of the continent 
 heard from. The Convention accordingly resolved that an attempt 
 should be made to obtain European concurrence to the selection of a 
 Prime Meridian on which a Time-system could be definitely based. 
 But, failing to obtain this recognition, the people of the Western 
 Continent should determine a Zero-meridian for their own use and 
 guidance. 
 
 It was thereupon r(?solved to petition the Congress of the ITnited 
 States to take the matter into considei-ation. The American ^VEeti-o 
 ological Society about the same time adopt(?d a similar proceeding. 
 The consequences were that a tfoint-resolution of the House of Re- 
 presentatives and the Senate was passed, authorizing the President 
 of the United States to cmU an International Conference to fix on 
 and recommend for univ(>rsal adoi»tion a common Prime JNIeridian 
 to be used in the reckoning of Longitude and in the regulation of 
 Time throughout the world. 
 
 On the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement 
 
 (•■J 
 
« ■■( 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 UxVIVKRSAL OR COSMIC TIMK, 
 
 13 
 
 of Science in Montreal, in July, 1882,, the subject was brought for- 
 ward, and all the documonts w(t.> submitted and discussed. It was 
 agreed that the Association slioidd co-operate with other bodies in 
 furtherance of the movement. 
 
 ^ On two occasions the Royal Society of Canada has had its atten- 
 tion directed to the matter, and this body has assisted in furthering 
 the determination of the problem by its co-operation and by cor- 
 respondence witli the Government. 
 
 Whihi some delay took place in summoning the International Con- 
 ference by (he President;in conse(|uence of diplomatic correspondence 
 on the subject, the question was ri[)ening on both sides of the Atlantic 
 for conceit^:! action. Indeed, a decision with respect to the regula- 
 tion of local Time was anticipated by the Railway iiuthorities lu 
 North Amerifti, who adoj.ted the system of hour-standards which 
 had l)e(Mi prominently l)rought forward as described. 
 
 Oo Xovomber l.<th of last year (1883) the new system of regulat- 
 ing railway Time on tliis continent came into ojieration. There Imd 
 be.Mi several proliiniuary meetings of railway managers : the last 
 meeting was a Convention held in Chicago tlie pre^^ious October, 
 and it was then determined immediately to carry out the change. 
 
 Mr. W. F. Allen, the secretary of this Convention, who also Took a 
 prominent part in effecting the adoption of the change, has given a 
 history of the events leading to it. Upon this gentleman "mainlv 
 fell the labour of ai-rangiug details, and he executed the diificult 
 duties assigned to him with consummate ability. In the words of 
 the historian, the transition from tlie old to the new system " was 
 put into effect without any appreciable jar, and witliout a single 
 accident occurring." According to tliis authority the first newspaper 
 to advocate some change was the Railroa,! Gazette for April 2, 1870. 
 and it is claimed tliMt as early as 1869 Prof Charles F. Dowd," 
 Principal of Temple (Wo^■^^ Ladies' Seminary, Saratoga Springs, pro- 
 posed a .system of meridians based on the meridian of Washington at 
 intervals of one hour, by which railways should be operate^!, and 
 that an expression of his views was placed in the hands of the Presi- 
 dent of the New York and Canada Railroad. The proposition ap- 
 pears to have attracteil attention in the Travellers' Ol/irial Guide of 
 1872. In 1873 it was brought before the Railway' Association of 
 America, not now in existence. A committee was api)ointed to ex- 
 aiuine inN) its merits ; they failed to recognize its necessitv, and 
 
u 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 recommended that the question of Nation.il Standard Time for use on 
 Railways be deferred until it more clearly appeared that the public 
 interests called for it. 
 
 Mr. Dowd's efforts tb introduce a National Standard Time to meet 
 the difficulties which were being developed were at the time imper- 
 fectly appreciated. He, however, has had the satisfaction of seeinc/ 
 a scheme unanimously accepted, and put in operation, which in 
 essential features does not materially differ from that whicli he ad- 
 vocated ; and he himself attended at the meeting of the American 
 Metrological Society, and took part in the proceedings when the 
 details of the new Time arrangements were officially narrated. 
 
 Prominent among those who have earnestly laboured to advance 
 the movement of Time reform is the distinguished President of Col- 
 umbia College, New York. Dr. Barnard has from the first taken 
 the deepest interest in the question, and few men have done so much 
 to bring it to a practical issue. In the proceedings of the American 
 Metrological Society for 1881 will be found a paper prepared by Dr. 
 Barnard in 1872, and presented to an association which has since as- 
 sumed an international character, and is known as the association for 
 the Reform and Codification of the Laws of Nations. In this paper 
 Dr. Barnard recommends the selection of Greenwich as the Pi-inie 
 Meridian ibr the world, and he submits the views he held at that 
 early date, which at this hour are of peculiar interest. He points 
 out that " it is becoming a matter of greater importance every day 
 that there should be established some universal rule for defining the 
 calendar day for all the world." 
 
 I have alluded to bhe valuable report of Professor Cleveland Abbe. 
 of the United States Signal Service, to the Metrological Society, and 
 I cannot deny myself the pleasure of acknowledging the services of 
 the gentlemen with whom I have been as.sociated on the special commit- 
 tee on Standard Time of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 
 Mr. Charles Paine, of New York ; Mr. Theodore N. Elv, of Altoonai 
 Pennsylvania ; iVIr. J. M. Toucey, of the Hudson River Railway ^ 
 Professor Hilgard, Coast Survey, Washington ; Professor T. Egloston' 
 of Columbia College; General T. G. Ellis, of Hartford, no J unfor- 
 tunately deceased, and Mr. John Bogart, Secretary of the Society, 
 
 The American Society of Civil Engineers, since meeting in Mon- 
 treal, in 1881, has made persistent and continuous efforts in the 
 common interest to advance the movement of Time-reforni, having 
 
 J 
 
1^- 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME, 
 
 IT) 
 
 ^n-oatly aided in hAw^hvj; about tlio important cliange earned into effect 
 H year ago. This Society is now directing attention to a roforni of 
 scarcely less inipovtance, the notation of the hours of the day. At 
 the Buffalo convention in June last, this particular question receive<l 
 prominent consideration in the address of the President, as well as in 
 tlie report of the special committee. '- Since that date a correspondence 
 has taken place between the Secretary and the railway mana-ers in 
 the United States and Canada. Already replies have been rrceiveU 
 iiom the repi-esentatives of some sixty thousand miles of railway 
 nuiety-eight (08) per cent, of whom have given expression to their 
 sympathy with the movement, to abandon the old practice of halvin<.' 
 the day, designating the two sets of twelve hours by the abbreviations 
 A.M. and P.M., and ai-o prei)ared to adopt a simple notation of 1 to 
 24 in a single series. The great telegrai^h inte.-ests of the countrv 
 are likewise in full sympathy with it. The President of the Western 
 Union Telegraj.h Company, Dr. Xorwiu Green, states that their 
 telegraphic traffic is equal to the transmission of forty-four million 
 messages a year, and the general a.loption of the 24 o'clock svsteni 
 (as it has been designated), would be cordially welcomed by telegraph- 
 ers. It would reduce materially the risk of errors, and to the" com ■ 
 pany over which he presides, he says it would save the transmission 
 by telegraph of at least 150,000,000 letters annually. 
 ^^ Tlie branch literature bearing on the two questions of Universal 
 Time and the establishment of a Prime Meridian, has been enriched 
 by a series of papers which have appeared daring the past year in 
 the hitermitioiial Standard, a magazine published in Cleveland- 
 Oliio. These papers arc by the following gentlemen connected with 
 
 re 
 
 ■ In "Xature" (London) of November ]3tl>, tiie followi„g appoars:- •• HoweviT loi„. t% 
 
 ■ us« of the 'n. m: an.l ' p. ni.' for ,li.stinguishi„K th. f.vo lulves of the oivil day „.av sun-i •' 
 
 It seems probaWe that the n.ore rational .nethod of oountin^ the honrs of the day continu' 
 
 ouslylron. midnight through twenty-four ho.us to t).e mid>,y,t foHowing, may before Ion - 
 
 come .nto use for a variety of purposes for whieh it is well a<l„ptcd. even if it should not yet 
 
 be generally employed. It seeuKs proper, therefore, to considerin what way ordina.y watclu. 
 
 and clo(d;s eould be best ae,.,nm.od.ted to sueh a change in the mode of recla.ning To -.hae 
 
 twenty-four hour.s on one circle round the dial, instead of twelve hours, as at present seem. 
 
 the n.ost natural change to n>ake ; but in addition to a new dial, it would involve also some 
 
 altetation ,u construction, since the hour-han.l would have to ...ake one revolution only in the 
 
 twenty-four hours inste.d of two. An.l th re would be this further disadvantage, that t'.e 
 
 hours being more crowded together, the ang>.lar motion of the hand in movin- throu-h the 
 
 space corresponding to an hour wouhl be less-in fact, one-half of its present amount " Th- 
 
 i.uKly pointed out in " Nature " is extremely simple. It is the same as that recommended by 
 
 Committee on btandar.l Time of the American Society of Civil Engineers, who reported at 
 
 Convention of the Society at Bullalo in June (18S4) as follows :-" It is proposed to ad.p^ 
 
16 
 
 UNIVERSAL OH COSM[C TIME. 
 
 the International Institute :-Rev. H. G. Wood, of Sharon, Ponn- 
 sylvama ; Professor C. Phizzi Smyth, Astronomer Roval for Scotland • 
 Professor Jolni N. Stockwell, Astronomer, Cleveland; Mr Jacob .Al' 
 Clark. C.E., New York; Mv. William H. Searle. Pennsvlvani"a ' 
 cue late AhU F. Moigno, Canon of St. Denis, Paris ; Com.nodo,-e 
 AVm. B. Whiting, U. S. Navy ; Mr. Charles Latimer, C. E., Cleve- 
 land ; and others. 
 
 It will be seen from what I have submitted, that the proceedino-s 
 have neither been few nor without success, and that since this Institute 
 published the first issue of papers on Time and Time-reckonin- tJie 
 subject lias received nnich attention on both sides of the Atlantic 
 Societies with kindred pursuits, men of recognized merit in the 
 scientihc world, have turned to its examination and aided in its do 
 velopment. Some few men have acted in concert. The hvbours of 
 others have been independent. Some of these names I have been 
 able to record, but I fear that I neglect to include many of eminence 
 be^xuse they are not known to me. It is this varied and whlely 
 diffased elioit which has rendere.l possible tlie realization of the 
 practical results which I have the giutification to record, and all 
 
 ;;eIo.-U.sa.ulw, tcl.es now m u.se to th„ eh.nge by inscribing „n the existing dials the ..,.., 
 _ m.,nl.r.s of the afternoon hours -thirteen to twenty-four (1. to 24, i«elusive!-us in the PU,! 
 
 Plate 
 
 No. I. 
 
 The only practical difficulty to be overcome ia met by the simple expedient of plaoinfc' 
 
 
 la 
 
 OH 
 
UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 17 
 
 the membei's of this Society must equally join in the common satis- 
 faction in tlie measure of success wliich has been achieved. 
 
 Six years back, when the subject -^'as fliscussed in this Hall, there 
 Avere probably not a few who viewed the propositions then submitted 
 as merely fanciful theories. Others, who did not refuse to reco^-nize 
 their bearing, entertained the feeling that many grave difficulties 
 presented themselves to interfere with any successful attempt to 
 reform or modify usages so ancient as the computation of time. But 
 the Institute, as a body, was hopeful. The action taken by the Council 
 to extend the field of discussion and awaken the attention of forei^'ii 
 communities, evinced confidence, and we may now ask, was this 
 confidence justified? What are the facts to-day? Twelve months 
 have passed since an important change in tlie notation of Eailwav 
 Time was made with general approval throughout the lenn^th and 
 breadth of North America ; a revolution i' the usages of sixty millions 
 of people has been silently effected and with scarcely a trace that it 
 has happened. That proceeding has been followed by events of 
 equal importance. On the 1st of (;>ctober last a body of accredited 
 Delegates from the difterent nations, on the invitation of the Presi- 
 den J of the United States, met in Conference to consider the problem 
 
 " thu face of the watch or chick a sc(;onihiry ai;il, feliowiiig the new afternoon liours in Arabic 
 '• liumeraJs witliin the present Roman figures. 
 
 Plate .£^ ^^, No. 2. 
 
 ^/ \\ \ 
 
 •'Plate No. 2 shows the secondarj' dial. It must l»e of Miin material; and it has been 
 ' ' found tliat made .simiiiy of paper and secure 1 to its i^osition by any gum wliicli will adhere to 
 " an enamelled surface, the object is attained witJ^.iut any further alteration of tlie watch or 
 " clock, 
 
 " The Committee is aware that tli«se seem trifling matters to bring under the notice of the 
 " Convention, but questions of great moment not Rtldom hinge en small details. It is evident 
 ■" from what has been set fortli, that every person in the community may, at the cost of a few 
 " cents in cacli case, adapt his watch to t!ie 24 o'cloL'k system. 
 
 " The Committee accordingly repeat their convicUon, that witli the disappearance of the 
 " only practical difficulty at an insignificant cost, tli.;rc is nothing to prevent the Railvay 
 " authorities and the community st large adopting Win ciiange as soon as they become alive to 
 " its advantages." 
 
■ 
 
 18 
 
 UNIVKRSAI. OR COSMIC TIMK. 
 
 tirst submitted to the world by llii.s Institute. The delegates were 
 the representatives of twenty-tive (25) civilized uationH. The Con- 
 ference continued during the whole month of October, ami, as a body, 
 they came to conclusions atltcting all peoples living under our 
 theories of civilization. 
 
 It was early understood that a determination with respect to Uni- 
 versal Time was not possible without the general recognition of a 
 Prime Meridian. Hence the iuij)ortance attached to its choice, 
 that it should be universally accei)ted. 
 
 For many years attempts have Iteen made to eftect the establish- 
 ment of an initial meridian recognized in common by all nations, 
 l)ut every attempt hitherto had proved coihpletely unsuccessful. It 
 is therefore the greater cause for congratulation, that the efforts of 
 the Washington Conference have succeeded in its determination. 
 
 The discussions of the Conference were long, and Vjeing cai'ried on 
 in different languages, could not have been of equal interest to all 
 1 (resent. Translations became necessary, so that all the Delegates 
 mi"ht equally understand the propositions which were daily submit- 
 ted. This necessary course prolonged die sessions and multiplied 
 the adjournments. At last, however, the choice of a Prime Meridian 
 was obtained. The following i-esolution was passed, the Delegates 
 voting by nations : 
 
 " Resolved, That the Conference proposes to the Governments here 
 represented, the adoi)tion of the meridian passing through the centre 
 of the transit instrument at the Observatory of Green vich as the 
 initial meridian for longitude. 
 
 The above resolution was adopted by the following vote : 
 
 In the affirmative : 
 
 AUSTRIA, 
 CHILI, 
 COLOMBIA, 
 OOSTA RICA, 
 GERMANY, 
 GREAT BRITAIN, 
 GUATEMALA, 
 HAAYAII, 
 
 MEXICO, 
 
 NETHERLANDS, 
 
 PARAGUAY, 
 
 RUSSIA, 
 
 SALVADOR, 
 
 SPAIN, 
 
 SWEDEN, 
 
 SWITZERLAND, 
 
 I 
 
 s. 
 
*9 
 
 SJ-' 
 
 ITALY, 
 JAPAN, 
 LIBERIA, 
 In tlie neirative 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR <0<;MIC TIME. 
 
 TURKEY, 
 TNITED STATES, 
 VENEZUEL... 
 
 SAX DO.MINGO. 
 
 19 
 
 Abstiiined from voting : 
 
 FRANCE AND BRAZIL. 
 Ayes 22. Noes I. 
 
 Tlicre was less difficulty and even greater unanimity displayed 
 when the consideration of Universal Time was submitted. The Con- 
 ference adopted the princi-^le of a Universal Day without a sincrle 
 negative vote. The resolutions carried are substantially in acconl 
 with tho essential principles, if not with the precise features of the 
 proposals set forth in the proceedings of the Canadian Institute, 
 published in 1879, 
 
 The resolution defining the Universal Day reads as follows : " Re- 
 solved, That this Universal Day is to be a mean solar day ; is to be^in 
 tor all the world at the moment of mean midnight of the initial 
 meridian, coinciding with the beginning of the civil day and date of 
 that meridian, and is to be counted from zero up to twenty-four 
 liours." 
 
 This definition, taken in conjunction with the other resolutions of 
 the Conference, is fraught with important consequences. 
 
 When it is mean midnight at Greenwich, that moment it is mean 
 noon at the meridian 180° from Greenwich, as indicated by the solar 
 j.issage. Hence the Anti-Prime Meridian practically becomes the 
 Time-zero for the workl. 
 
 The initial instant of the twenty-four hours of each successive 
 Universal or Cosmic Day is the moment of mean solar passage on 
 the Anti-Prime Meridian. The first hour of the Cosmic Day°is at 
 tlie solar passage on the meridian 15" westward ; this then becomes 
 the 1st Hour Meridian. The second hour of the Cosmic Day is at the 
 solar passage on the meridian 15° still further westward ; this be- 
 comes the 2nd Hour Meridian. And so on in turn, eiich meridian 
 which is an exact multiple of 15' from the Time-zero becomes an 
 Hour Meridian corresponding in number with the numbers of the 
 successive hours of the Cosmic Dav, 
 
 Ml 
 .^1 
 
20 
 
 UNIVEUSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Tlie twenty-four Hour MoritUnus so determined come in the fol- 
 lowing order, viz. : 
 
 LONOITUDE 
 EAST AND WKST. 
 
 HOUR MERIDIANS. 
 
 COSMIC TIME 
 AT SOLAR PASSAGE 
 
 180° 
 
 1(M° 
 l.-)0° 
 
 l.S")° 
 
 1(».')0 
 
 750 
 
 (iOo 
 4.')0 
 
 :^o° 
 
 0° 
 15° 
 
 80- 
 
 4.")' 
 
 00° 
 
 75° 
 
 00° 
 
 l(t5° 
 
 1:20° 
 
 1.3.-)° 
 
 l.)0° 
 
 105° 
 
 180° 
 
 Auti-Primo Mcriilian 
 
 Mast 
 
 East 
 
 Eaiit 
 
 Hast 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 East 
 
 The Prime Meridian . 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 \Vest 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West 
 
 West .... 
 Auti- Prime 
 
 Meridian 
 
 Zero 
 
 1st 
 
 '.'nd 
 
 3rd 
 
 4th 
 
 5th 
 
 fitli 
 
 7th 
 
 8th 
 
 9th 
 
 10th 
 
 nth 
 
 12th 
 
 13th 
 
 14th 
 
 15th 
 
 16th 
 
 17th 
 
 ISth 
 
 l!)th 
 
 •20th 
 
 21st 
 
 22nd 
 
 23rd 
 
 24th 
 
 Hour 
 
 M 
 
 eridian 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 it 
 
 
 
 
 or zero 
 
 << 
 
 hours minutes. 
 
 1 o'clock. 
 
 2 " 
 
 3 •• 
 
 4 " 
 
 5 " 
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 16 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 2.S 
 24 
 
 
 Thus the exact position of the tweiity-four secondary or Hour Meri- 
 dians is practically determined, and provision is thereby made for 
 extending around the globe the Hour-system of regulating time 
 which has b';en adopted with so much advantage in America. 
 
 The.se Hour Meridians, so designated, completely eRt;)'iliKh the rela- 
 tion between Cosmic time and longitude. Once every day the rela- 
 tionship will be prominently brought under the notiec jf evciy indi 
 vidual. Everyone, for oxam})le, living on the 6th Hour Meridian, 
 will know at nooia that it is at that instant six o'clock Cosmic time : 
 or, take the citizens of Toronto, the local time of which is governed 
 by the 17th Hour Meridian; at the hour of noon they will know 
 that it i 1" o'clock Cosmic Time. Invariable time will thus agree 
 with Io}igituvic!, conversely longitude with time. By this arrange- 
 ment the earth itself becomes the great Standard Chronometer for all 
 
U.NIVEKSAL OK COSMIU TIMi:. 
 
 21 
 
 luatikiud, aii.l iu its d.iily rotations the passage of tlio mn at atiy 
 spJt will be the iiujcv of Cosmic tiiiio, 
 
 Tlip resolutions of the IntornatioiiLil Conferonco estultlish a moans 
 of reckoning tiuu; which promises, iu the ycjars to come, to be of 
 the highest advantage to th.; liuman family. CoHmic Time, or 
 whatn-er name may be given to Universal Time applied to civil pui-- 
 poses, is an entirely new feature. It has now obtained rococnitiou 
 by a pioporly constituted autliority, although until recently, I believe, 
 it has leniained unconsidered. Astronomers have long had eipuuoi- 
 tial time, which is absolute time, dating from an epoch determined 
 hy the sun's motion among the stars ; beyond this I cannot liiid any 
 nearer approach to the mention of LTniversal Time as now understood. 
 
 The conclusions of the Conference mark a new in-a. The civil 
 time of England is adopted as Universal Time. It may be said that 
 Greenwich time is already known on every .sea, that it has been car- 
 ried by British ships wherever British explorers and colonists and 
 merchants have penetrated, but Greenwich time is the local time of 
 Greenwich, and, heretofoi'o, it has always been held as such. Uni- 
 versal time based on the Prime Meridian of the globe, and recog- 
 nizee' by the several civilized nations, is an entirely different conce]i- 
 tion. As the Time of the world common to every nation, it is held 
 that the term "Cosmic" will better express that meaning than "Green- 
 wicli." Cosmic and Greenwich tinte are identical by accident, but 
 the e.\;i)ressioiis imply two totally different ideas, and known national 
 sensitiveness suggests the good taste and ex])odiency of distinguishing 
 the two ideas by different terms. • 
 
 I am induced to add a few words, iu explanation of the jjrinciples 
 of Cosnuc time. 
 
 Time his been the subject of profound thought by many philoso- 
 pliic minds of the past. Tijey have attempted to define it, and their 
 definitions have been manifold. If we view the earth as a whole, and 
 tlie conditions of fl/e age in which we live oblige ns so to view it, I 
 am unable to see tl at any one of the recorded definitions gives sun- 
 port to the ancient system of keeping count of time which v,'e follow. 
 Gur ordinary usages imply that there is an infinite number of times, 
 and they are based on the principle that time is dependent on local 
 situation. Nothing can be more erroneous and misleading. It is 
 tiiis false principle entering into every detail of daily life which has 
 led each insigniticaut locality on the circumference of the globe to 
 
22 
 
 UXIVEUSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 claim the right to liave its own timo. It is self-evident that tiiiie 
 is in no way dependent on locality, and I will quote on tlii.s ]»oint but 
 one authority, the great Sir Isaac Newton. "Absolute true and 
 mathematical time of itself, and from its own nature, flow.s equally 
 without regard to anything external." 
 
 Our finite minds are incapable of understanding fully what time 
 is, but this much is ])erfectly clear to our reason. Time is a measure- 
 able quantity, it may be termed a flowing magnitude, and only as one 
 such inagnitude is it conceivable. A distinct and separate flow of time 
 in each of the myriad localities throughout the Universe is perfectly 
 inconceivable. If time be anything it is a ^ln!tl/ and not a plumliti/. 
 The cardinal ])rincii)le of Cosmic Time is uniti/, and with imit// as a 
 fundamental idea of time it must be held that the Cosmic system is 
 the only sound princij)le of reckoning, and that as the area of civil- 
 ization broadens, it must in the end be recognized as applicable 
 everywhere and for all purposes. 
 
 The conclusions of the International Conference are fruitful of 
 results of high importance. They may be said to point to the o])en- 
 ing of a new chapter in the world's annals. They make provision 
 f.ir a complete cessation of ambiguity in hours and dates. By Cosmic- 
 Tmie all events whatsoever will be systematically arranged according 
 to their proper chronologi ;al order. The calendar days the worhi 
 over will begin at the one initial instant, and clocks will strike the 
 same hour at the same moment in all longitudes. 
 
 But the new system can only be gradually introduced. The 
 majority of mankind have flrmly fixed ideas with regard to the passage 
 <^f the day and the numbers of the hours by whicJi their social habits 
 are regulated. A proposal suddenly to change the old familiar suc- 
 cession of the hours will be misunderstood. The influence of custom 
 IS always powerful under any as])ect. It is anticipated that %his inflii- 
 <>nce will be the one serious obstacle to be overcome. The bt^liri', 
 however, may be permitted that the change will be rendered easy 
 when men undersiand that the numbers of such hours have l)eeu arbi- 
 trarily chosen ; that there is no necessary connection between them 
 and the position of the sun in relation to the eiu-th in its daily rota- 
 tion, and that whatever numborf; may distinguish the twenty-four 
 divisions of the day, the recurring phenomena of light and darkness 
 will always regulate sleeping, waking, eating, and working, and 
 all the routine of life in every loculity. Nuou has heretufure bet-u 
 
+ 
 
 UXIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIAIE. 
 
 23 
 
 asHOciate.! in our luiiuls with the hour of 12, but amon^^ the J(nvs 
 noon was the 6tli hour, and astronomers have almost invariably recoi,'- 
 uized it as the 24th hour. For a year back throughout tlie Unitwl 
 States and Canada tiie agreement between 12 o'clock and precise^ 
 noon has been at an end. It may be said that, except on four or hve 
 meridians, 12 o'clock is nowhere coincident with mean solar noon. 
 This dei>arture from an old usage must tend to unloosen the traih'- 
 tional idea that the mere numbers of the hours have any necessary 
 ronneotion with the jiosition of the sun in the heavens. If tlii's 
 innovation has any effect it must help to pave the way for still further 
 and more important changes than have yet been introduced. Tlio 
 Meridians by wliieh time is regulated in North America are 5. G, 7 
 aad 8 hours of longitude west from the Prime Meridian. It will onlv 
 be necessary to move forward our clocks 5, G, 7, and 8 hours respec- 
 tively to bi>ing them all into agreement with the time of the Prinu> 
 Meridian, which is Cosmic Time, and thus obtain complete uniformity. 
 It cannot, howe\er, be looked for that Cosmic Time will at once lie 
 adopted in ordinary affairs. A generation probably will pass away 
 before it will obtain general acceptance. The difficulties to be ovei- 
 (roine cannot be ignored, and we may assume that it will only l,ostep 
 by step that the cliangx; will be made, the more advanced nations 
 taking the leail. On this continent positive progress has been 
 made, to be succeeded before long, I do not doubt, In' another 
 advance in public opinion, and a general acceptance of the principles 
 recently reeogni/.-d. [n the course of yeai>s the prejudices en- 
 gendered by inherited cu.stoms will bo gieatly modified, and the 
 masses will gradually have their nunds familiarized with new ideas. 
 It is a significant fact that the princijjles of the new systmn should 
 be unanimously reconnuended by delegates from all civilized nations. 
 I do tiot doubt that the several peoples they represent will soonvv nr 
 later understand that one uniform reckoning of time for every pm- 
 ])Ose throughout tlie globe is the only rational system, and the one 
 notation which in coming years will pi'opei«Iy meet the necessities 
 and requirements of niankind. 
 
 In these remarks I have narrated the events which have takejv 
 
 place on both sides of tlie Atlantio to influence and determine the 
 
 .conclusions which, a few weeks back, the President submittal to the 
 
 C'ongrt\ss of the United States. 
 
 Ou this occasion I cannot tluuk tluit I iwn entirely wrong when I 
 
SHUIl 
 
 21 
 
 UXIVKIU.VL O.l C.JS.MIC TIJII5. 
 
 v.:?iihn'e to congratulate the Cauadiivn Institute on tlie part which it 
 his taken in the sohitiou of this problem. It stjuids among the 
 Societies who first considered tliis comparatively new question. In- 
 deed, it may be claimed that the Institute is to .some extent the 
 pioneer Society in awakening the world to the advantages to be 
 dei'ived from the establishment of Cosmic Time.. 
 
 In conclusion, I will avail myself of the words of an early Pi-esi- 
 deut of the Institute, whose portrait for more than thirty years 
 has adorned the hall in which we are now assembled. Refer- 
 ring to the results already eiJecfccMl in Time-reform and the prospects 
 for the future, General Sir Henry Lefroy, in his addre.ss at the 
 late meeting of the British Association in Montreal, remarked : 
 '• Whether we conceive its educational tendency or its induence on the 
 ftiturv! iutercour-se of uul)orn millions, it is a somewhat remarkable 
 cvidonca that agreement upon questions of general concern is not 
 that unattainable thing which we are apt to consider it." 
 
 After the reading of Mr. Fleming's paper, the following Resolution 
 %vas ntoved by Dr. B. A. Meredith, seconded by Mr. W. H. Van- 
 derSmissea, and passed : 
 
 "That the meeting, considering this an exceptional case, desire to tender 
 a, coi'.Hal vote of thanks to Mr. Samlford Fleming, C.M.G., for his interesting 
 conimuuieaticm on the subject of ' Oosiiiic Time,' and they wish, at the same 
 time, to record their satisfaction that to one of the original members of the 
 Institute is due the honour of being the first to bring prominently before the 
 scitntific world, tlirougli the medium of tlie Journal of the Institute, the 
 i)npnrt;iut sul)jcct of Time Ueform, and the a<loption of uniform or Uosmic 
 Time. •■' 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 
f 
 
 If 
 
 X 
 
 
 COSMIC TIME. 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 COMMUNICATIOiNS AND REPOK.TS, 
 
 IN THE 1'0.SSKSS10N OF 
 
 THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 
 
-.V 
 
w 
 
 SLTPLEMENTARY PAPEKS. 
 
 MEMORIAL OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE TO HIS EXCELLKNClY 
 THK llOVERNOll-G KNERAL OF CANADA, SUBMITTING PAPEKS 
 ON TIME-RECKONINC AND A PRIME MERIDIAN. READ DUil 
 IN(; THE SESSION 1878-79. 
 
 To llisi Excellencij, the Kiyht Ilonourahle Sir Joh\ Dorcjr,AS Sl'thfiui.wi. 
 Miu-quia of LnriHt, one of Her Majr.-^fif.^ Priry Coundl, Kni<ilit of the Mo-^t 
 Ancient and Moxt Noble Order of the ThMe, and Kni</ht Grand r ';;■.,.>• of 
 the Muit Dixtiniiuinhed Order of Sahit Michael and Saiiit George, O'arernor- 
 Oeneral of Canada, and Vice-Admiral of the mine. 
 
 The memorial of the Council of the Cauadiiin Institute 
 lii:.spECTFULLY Sheweth : 
 
 That the Canadian Institute, established in Toronto for a pei-iod 
 of thirty years, has specially aimed at promoting scientific studv and 
 research; and by means of its Journal of Proceedings has main- 
 tained communication with men of science in Europe and Ameiicu. 
 
 At meetings of the Institute, during the present session, com- 
 munications have been submitted to it by one of its members, Mi: 
 Sandford Fleming, C. M. G., with the special object of determining 
 a First or Prime Meridian, common to all nations ; and promoting 
 the adoption of a universal system of Time-reckoning, adapted alike 
 tu the requirements of an uniform liistoi-ical record, and to the novel 
 leijuirements of civilization, consequent on the rapid extension of 
 lailway and telegraphic lines over the globe. 
 
 While the geographical circumstances of Canada iuA-est this sub- 
 ject with peculiar interest to the Dominion, its importance is not 
 limited to Canada. In every civilized country, circumstances have 
 tended in recent years to demonstrate the desirableness of adopting 
 some uniform system of notation of time and space ; and, as vour 
 Kxcellency will see by the papers herewith transmitted to you* the 
 attention of various scientiHc bodies, both in Europe and America, 
 as well as of your memorialists, has been directed to this important 
 subject. 
 
 Your Memorialists have accordingly welcomed, with special satis- 
 faction, the suggestion by one of their own members whose practical 
 experience, especially in his trans-continental survevs as Chief En- 
 gineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway, peculiarlv'lits him for tlie 
 task : the suggestion of a Prime Meridian, free from the objections 
 hithei'to urged ag-'tinst other propositions, and so offering an' accept- 
 
) 
 
 28 
 
 UXIVEKSAL OU COSMIC TIME. 
 
 al.le solution of a problem of interuiitional importance, wliicli liiis 
 'lon^' engaged the attention of leading geographers and astronomers 
 both of Europe and America. 
 
 As the determining one initial Meridian for computing longitude, 
 common to all nations, is an object of special interest to Great Ibit- 
 ain, as the foremost niMritime nation of the world, as well as to Can- 
 ada and all the Colonies of the i^hnpire : the Council of the Cauiuliiin 
 Institute have hoped that the subject will not seem unworthy of your 
 Excellency's consideration. 
 
 Thev respectfully invite your attention to the matter as set forth in 
 the accompanying papers ; and in view of the important internationiil 
 interests involved, they beg leave, very respectfully, to ask your Ex- 
 cdieney to bring the subject under the notice of the Imperial^ Gov- 
 ernmeni, and to use your high influence to direct the attention of 
 official and scientitic authorities in Great Britain, and those of foreign. 
 (Jovernments, to it. 
 
 Tlie peculiarly favourable position which your Excellency occui)ii's 
 as the Governor-General, under Her Majesty, of a Dominion com 
 manding both the Atlantic and Pacitic coasts of the Continent ()t 
 Korth Anuu-ica, ai>pears to your Memorialists to furnish special 
 facilities for promoting the simiditication of a comjdex system, ad- 
 mittedlv open to well-founded objections; and substituting for it ova- 
 which not only offer;^ a solution of the evils, but is also extremel\ 
 j^imple in its application, and free from the sources of internatioiud 
 j.jalousy which have hitlierto neutralized the efforts of scientilic men. 
 to remedy practical evils which are universally recognized. 
 And your Memorialists, as in duty l»ound, will ever pray. 
 
 DAN'JEL WILSOX, LL, D., 
 
 Pir -side lit. 
 
 HENRY SCADDIN(i, D. U.. 
 
 iliyl Vice -Pr^i'Jdir lit 
 
 \\\ D. PEAllMAN, M. A., 
 
 Cor.-Stc. 
 
 ^;E0. E. SHAW, B. A., 
 
 Citrntur. 
 
 CrEORGE MURRAY. 
 
 E. A. REEVE, B. A., M. i>. 
 
 WM. OLDRKmT, M. A., M. I\. 
 
 Jmi Via-Prcs'i'J( lit. 
 
 ,TXO. NOTMAX, 
 
 Treamrer. 
 
 R. RAMSAY WRIGHT, M.A.,B.Sc,. 
 
 liec.-Sec. 
 
 THOS. HEYS, 
 
 L'lhrar'ian. 
 
 C. B. HAEL, il. D. 
 
 E. .r. CHAPMAN, LL. D. 
 
 
 .lAMHS I.OUDOX, M. A. 
 
•V .- 
 
 SUPPLEMENTAUY PAPERS. 
 
 29 
 
 HIS r:'COKLLE>r(JY THE MAR'JIirS OF LORyE, aOVKKYOR-GEX- 
 ERAL OF CANADA, TO .Sill M. E. HIOKS-BEACH. SECKETARV 
 OF STATI-: FOR THE COLONIES. 
 
 ^^''- '"^^'^ Ottawa, 2l8t May, 1870. 
 
 SiH I have the honotu' to forward herewith for 8iich action as vou 
 may think proper a copy of a Memorial addressed to me from the 
 Canadian Institute, Toronto, togetlier with a patnplilet witli resi.pct 
 to the desirability of establishing a " Prime Meridian " to be common 
 to all nations. 
 
 I have, etc., 
 
 c ^# ^ r* LORNK. 
 
 biR M. E. H(cK3-BB.vcn, &c., &c. 
 
 MEM )RANDITM OF THE CAXADIAN INSTITUTE, ACCOMPANYl.W 
 PAPERS TKANSMITTED TO THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT BV 
 HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA MAV 
 1879. 
 
 The President and Council of the Canadian Institute (Toronto) 
 having memonali/cd His Excellency the Governor-General of Canada 
 respecting the accompanying ])apers, with the special object of detei- 
 nmnng a Fuist ok Puimk Mehidian to be Common to all Nations 
 and promoting the adoption of a Univkrsal Sy.sTEM of Time-Reck' 
 ONiNC), a'.lapted to the requirements of modern progress : 
 _ His Excellency the Governor-General, in view of the important 
 international interests involved, has been graciously pleased to brin- 
 the subject under the notice of the Impei-ial Government, in order 
 that the attention of the official and scientitic authorities of Great 
 Britain and of foreign counti ie.s may Ijh directed to it. 
 
 The oeograi)hical circumstances of this country invest the (uiestion 
 with special interest to the people of Canada, and the peculiar politi- 
 cal status of the Dominion may in some respects enable the repre- 
 sentatives of Canadian science to mediate, especially between their 
 scientilic brethren, in the varioiis countries more immediately inter- 
 ested m the questions at issue. The Council of the Canadian Insti- 
 tute will be glad to receive, and to transmit to all the scientific bodifs 
 with which they interchange publications, any communications which 
 may be made to them ; and ith the view of promoting the objects 
 aimed at, will be happy to collate all comments, suggestions, or ex- 
 ])ressious of opinion with which they may be favoured. 
 
 R. RAMSAY WRIGHT, 
 Twi'outi), May, 1S79, , 
 
30 
 
 UNIVKRSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 I'UOFKSSOR 11. RAMSAY WllIGHT, SF.ORETAKY OF THE CANA- 
 l^IAN INSTITUTE, TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR- 
 (UONERAL, CANADA. 
 
 Caxaoian Iss'iiTU'iE, TORONTO, June 24th, 187l>. 
 Thi' Secirtari/ of Hia Excellency the Governor-Gfneral, OtlavM. 
 
 {;;„( -.Referring to tlie pnpcrs on Tinio-rfckoning and the solection 
 (,f :i Co'innon Moridiuu, which His ExceUency has been pleased to 
 bring luide)- the notice of the Imperial Government, in order that tlip 
 attention of the Scientific and other authorities of various countries 
 may be directed to the subject, 
 
 I now beg to forward to you a<lditional copies, in order that they 
 may be tran"smitted, through the Imperial Government, to the proper 
 otHcial authorities and the i)rinci[)al Scientilic Societies in (iveai 
 Britain and the Colonies, as well as to the representatives in Loudon 
 of the ditiv-rent countries in the accompanying list. 
 
 I am requested respectfully to express the hope that in directing 
 attention to these papers it may be intimated that the Council of the 
 Canadian Institute will be glad to learu how far the solutions of the 
 diliiculties referred to may be generally acceptable. 
 
 I have the honor, etc., 
 
 K. RAMSAY WRIOHT, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 FOIIEIGN COUXTUIES. 
 
 France 8 copies. 
 
 <'ermany ^ ,^ 
 
 Iti.ly 5 „ 
 
 Norway iiiid Sweden t) ^^ 
 
 The United States ^ [^ 
 
 Rusaia ^ , ^ 
 
 Austria ^ ^ ^ 
 
 Belgium * .^ 
 
 Brazil * ,, 
 
 Denmark * 
 
 t 4 
 
 Japan J ,, 
 
 Netherlands * ^ . 
 
 Portugal .. 4 '^ 
 
 Spain 
 
 Switzerland 
 
 Turkey 
 
 Greece 
 
 China 
 
 IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
 
 The Admiralty • • • •. 
 
 The Astronomer Royal, (Greenwich . . . 
 
 T'lie Astronomer Royal for Scotland 
 
 Royal Astronomical Society 
 
 R(»yal Geographical Society ' 
 
 Royal Jnited Service 
 
 Royal Si-^iety 
 
 ')0 copies. 
 
 1 
 
SUIM'LKMEXTAUY PAPEIli-'. 
 
 31 
 
 
 HIS EXCEI.LENCy THE MARf^UIS OF LOKXl^ OUVERN0R.(iFX. 
 
 ^^!^t.^^ <'AN'AI>A. TO SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONiIl 
 SECKETAIiY, LOXDOX. 
 
 ^^''' ^^'*-- Ottawa. July 12tl., 1S79. 
 
 Sir,— With reference to my despatcli No. 147, of the 21st Mav 
 last transmitting a copy of a pamphlet, entitled " Time-reckonin^ 
 and the Establishment of a Prime Meridian," I have the honour to 
 torward iierewith a further communication, June 24t]i, 1879 from 
 the Canadian Institute at Toronto, concerning additional copies of 
 the papers in question, and requesting that they may be distributed 
 in accordance with the list apj)ended. 
 
 If you see no objections I should be much obliged if you would 
 kindly give effect to the wishes of the Institute. 
 
 I have, etc., 
 Sir M. E. Hicks-Bkach, &c.. &c. LORXE. 
 
 SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONIAL SECRETARY, LONDON TO 
 
 THE MARQUIS OF LORNE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA 
 [Canada, No. 342.] Downing Street, 15th October, 1879. 
 
 My Lord,— In my despatch, No. 173, of the 11th of June I 
 acknowledged the receij)t of your despatch, No. 147 of the •'>lst'of 
 May inclosing a Memorial from the Canadian Institute of Toronto 
 toge^aier with a Pamphlet, entitled " Time Reckoning and the Estab' 
 lishment of a Prime Meric/ ni," which the memoralists desired to be 
 brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government as well as of 
 fecientifac Societies in Great Britain, and to be submitted also for the 
 consideration of the Governments of Foreign Powers. 
 
 2. I have now to acknowledge your later despatch, No. 174 of 
 the 12th of July, inclosing a further communication from the Can- 
 adian Institute, forwarding addicional copies of the Pamphlet whicji 
 they request may be distributed in accordance with a list thereto 
 appended. 
 
 3. It has been the custom of Her Majesty's Government to abstain 
 from interfering with recognized usages in questions of social impc-t- 
 ance until the spontaneous use of any novel system that may be in- 
 troduced in such matters has become so extensive as to make it 
 desirable that authoritative regulations should be sanctioned with 
 regard to it, and it does not appear that such a condition of affairs in 
 reference to the subjects of the Memorial has yet arisen. 
 
 4. It appears, however, that the memorialists consider it desirable 
 that their views on the question should be extensively ventilated, and 
 in accoidanco with their application, I have forwarded the Pamphlets 
 which they have transmitted, t'^ the scientific societies named in the 
 list, and I will also request the Secretary of State for Foreifrn Affairs 
 
 3 " 
 
32 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 to transmit copies of the Pamplilet to the Ropresentntivos of Foreign 
 Countries, us desired, and to intimate to tliem that 1 shall he happy 
 to forwax'd to the Canadian Institute any communications which may 
 be sent in reply from any Foreign Scientific Institutions to which 
 they may be forwarded, but it must be distinctly understood that 
 Her Majesty's Government are merely transmitting these i)aj)ers out 
 of courtesy to a Scientific Institution in Canada, and that in doing so, 
 thev lend no sup[)ort to, and assume no responsibility for the views 
 
 advocated therein. 
 
 I have, &c., &c., 
 
 M. E. HICKS-BEACH. 
 Governor-General, 
 
 Tlie Kight Hon. The Marquis of Lome, K.T., G.C.M.G., &c. 
 
 SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONIAL SECRETARY, LONDON, TO THE 
 
 MARQUIS OF LORNE, (iOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA. 
 [Canala, 343.] D.)\vning Street, 17th October, 1879. 
 
 My Lord, — With refei'ence to my despatch, No. 342, of the l.'ith 
 instant, relating to the pamphlet on ''Time Reckoning and the 
 Selection of a Common Mei-idian," which the Canadian Institute of 
 Toronto has desired to have brought before the notice of various 
 Scientific Societies and of Foreign Governments, I have the honour 
 to transmit to you the accompanying copies of letters received from 
 the Admiralty and from certain of the scientific bodies to whom copies 
 of the Pamphlet were forwarded, in accordance with the wish ex- 
 pressed in your despatch. No. 174, of the 12th of July last. 
 
 I request that these documents may be forwarded for the inform- 
 ation of the Canadian Institute of Toronto. 
 
 I have, &c., &c., 
 
 M. E. HICKS-BEACH. 
 
 Governor-General, 
 
 The Right Hon. The Marquis of Lome, K.T., G.C.M.G., &c. 
 
 ■ 
 
 SIR G. B. AIRY, ASTRONOMER ROYAL, GREENWICH, TO THE SEC- 
 RETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. 
 
 (PORTINSCALE, KeSWICK), 
 
 Royal Observ.uorv, Greenwich, 18th June, 1879. 
 
 Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of June 13th, 
 transmitting to me copy of a ^lemorial, undated, from the Council of 
 the Canadian Institute of Toronto to the Governor-General of Canada, 
 together with a Pamphlet by Mr. Sandford Fleuiing, which I return 
 herewith, and requesting my observations or suggestions on these 
 documents. I respectfully offer the following remai'ks : 
 
 1. The subject of the Pamphlet is " Time Reckoning and a Prime 
 Meridian common to all Nations," on this matter I advance : First, 
 
SUPPLEMEXTARY PAPERS. 
 
 33 
 
 that in all countries in which hours aro known, the origin of those hours 
 13, approximately, the mean time ot" local noon. Tiiere must thus be 
 introducer! a degree of confusion, which the ordinary sense of man- 
 kind, by maintaining (in adjustments of public clocks, &,c.,) the same 
 mean origin within definite limits, and well defined differences between 
 the indications in territories of other definite limits, has effectually 
 met. Thus the difference between England and Ireland has been 
 fairly met by a difference of 25'" (which would better have been 30'") 
 between the indications of the public clocks. It is, I believe, certain 
 that this is not the result of legislation, it appears to be merely the 
 result of common sense, guided perhaps by a single personal influence. 
 At Basle (possibly in like manner at other stations) the great systems 
 of the French Railways meet, and there the times in the French 
 States and the German States (I suppose Paris time and Berlin time), 
 are exhibited aide by side, and there can be no confusion or difficulty. 
 In the case of the railway from New York to San Francisco, it is 
 merely necessary to frame tiie Westward train-bills and guard's 
 wafc^wjii to New York time, and the Eastward train-bills and guard's 
 watches to San Francisco time, with double clocks at every station, 
 naturally there must be a re-adjustraent of watches at the end of the 
 journey. Thus, adopting as incontrovertible the idea that every district 
 will refer to visible noon for the origin of its own time, and remarking 
 the extreme facility with which those origins can be linked together, 
 I set not the slightest value on the remarks extending through the 
 early parts of Mr. Fleming's paper. Secondly, as to the need of a 
 Prime Meridian, no practical man ever wants such a thing. If a 
 Prime Meridian were to be adopted, it must be that of Greenwich, 
 for the navigation of almost the whole world depends on calculations 
 founded on that of Greenwich. Nearly all navigation is based on the 
 Nautical Almanac, which is based on Greenwich observations and 
 referred to Greenwich Meridian, and the number of Nautical 
 Almanacs sold annually exceeds, I believe, 32,000 (see the Navy 
 Estimates). But I, as Superintendent of the Greenwich Observatory, 
 entirely repudiate the idea of founding any claim on this. Let Green- 
 wich do her best to maintain her high position in admiuisterin>«- to 
 the longitude of the world, and Nautical Almanacs do their best, and 
 we will unite our efforts without special claim to the fictitious honour 
 of a Prime Meridian.* For the mere expression of longitudes, witli 
 the limitation that longitude is not to exceed 180° East or West, 
 Greenwich is not inconvenient. But every such consideration yields 
 to historical or other circumstances. Thus, as regards California 
 civilization and time-reckoning (in the count of days of a month) 
 
 The orij4;n of Gioenwicli Observatory is curious. A Frenchman had a correct idea that 
 longitude at sea might be determined by observations of the m(X)n. He was not received by 
 Louis XIV., but procured introduction to tlie Uudiess of Portsmouth, wlio placed his scheme 
 before Cliarlcs II. and his brother James, both al)le men in some resi)eots. Tlioy adopted it in 
 esscutials, and Greenwich Observatory was founded. The moon is still the most important 
 object of the Greenwich Observatory, 
 
i 
 
 34 
 
 UKIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 woro first carried oastwai'illy fi'oiii Enropo to CHiifornia, tlirou<,'li tlie 
 Capo of Good Hopt! and Iiulia (by t\w JcHiiit Missionaries). Wlien 
 the United States adviincr-d westwardly, they who had taken tlieir 
 count westwardly from Europe found one day's ditl'erence, Tlie 
 United States liave gained tlie victory in tlie States. I know not 
 whether the Missions have changed, [t is said that the Pliilii»piui' 
 Islands are still in an anomalous position. 
 
 2. As regards tho construction of clock-faces proi)osed V)y Mr. 
 Fleming to meet the supi)0sed dithcidties, I do not believe that they 
 would over l)e ado|)t(Ml or used. If they were exposeil in shops, I do 
 not suppose that one would be solil. 
 
 3. I do iiot understand, from the terms of the Toronto Memorial, 
 what steps the memorialists wish the Government to take, excejt 
 " perhaps to direct the attention of official and scientific authorities in 
 " Great Britain, and of Foreign Governments, to it." I do not 
 imagine that Her ^Ntaiesty's Government are inclined, mero motu, to 
 undertake this re..ponsibility. 
 
 4. As far as I can understand the usual policy of the British 
 Government in social matters, it has been, to adopt the general sense 
 of the nation in the broad features of any such arrangements, and to 
 give to them that accuracy and uniformity which only a Government 
 can give. Among other matters, I am officially cognizant of the laws 
 and regulations respecting standards of length, weight and capacity, 
 and I believe that the system secured by the policy which I mention 
 is most excellent. The same may be said in regard to Bills of Ex" 
 change. Cheques, &c., where rules, suggested by usage, have been 
 ado[>ted and legalized by the Government. 
 
 5. I would suggest for consideration, that an answer be given 
 nearly of the following tenor : That Her Majesty's Government, 
 recognizing in some degree the inconveniences described by the 
 memorialists, are not able at ])resent to comj)are with them the 
 possible inconvenience which might arise from the interference of 
 Governme.nt in such a matter. That it has been the custom of Her 
 Majesty's Government to abstain from interfering to introduce novel- 
 ties in any question of social usage, until the spontaneous rise of such 
 novelties has become so extensive as to make it desirable that regu- 
 lations should be sanctioned by superior authority. That it does not 
 appear that such extensive spontaneous call in reference to the sub- 
 jects of the Memorial, has yet arisen. That it appears desirable that 
 the question should be extensively ventilated b}^ the memorialists, 
 and should be submitted by them to the })rincipal Geographical and 
 Hydrographical bodies, including ({»erha])s with others) the lloyal 
 Geographical Society, and the Dock Trustees or other commercial 
 bodies, at London, Ijiverpool and Glasgow. 
 
 I have, &c., 
 
 G. B. AIRY. 
 
 The Right Hon. The Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c. 
 
 • ■ V 
 

 1 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPKIIS. 
 
 30 
 
 PROFESSOR PTAZZI SMYTH, ASTRONO^IKR ROYAL FOR SCOTLAND, 
 TO THFO COLONIAL ()FFI(;E, LONDOxV. 
 
 ROYAI. OnsERVATORY, ElUNBt'Ron, Aug. 30, 1879. 
 
 Sir, — I Iiiivo tlifi honour to acknowledgo the receipt of your letter 
 of "Augnnt" 30, 1879, transmittinj; to me copies of a Cunadian 
 pamphlet on " Tin»e Reckoning; and the selection of a common Meri- 
 dian," and intimating that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach will be so 
 obliging as to transmit to Canada, through the Governor-General of 
 the Dominion, any observations which I may have to make on the 
 subject. I gladly accept Sir Michael Hicks'Beach's obliging offer, 
 and will speedily send a letter for such desirable transmission. 
 
 I am, &c., &e., 
 
 PIAZZI SMYTH, 
 Astronomer-Royal for Scotland. 
 To Edward Wingfield, Esq., Colonial Office, Whitehall, London. 
 
 PROFESSOR PIAZZI SMYTH, ASTRONOMER ROYAL FOR SCOTLAND, 
 TO THE COLONIAL OFFICE, LONDON, 
 
 Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, Sept. 5th, 2879. 
 SfR, — In further answer to your letter of " August" I have now 
 the pleasure of sending you my remarks on the Time-reckoning Pam- 
 phlet transmitted by the Governor-General of the Dominion, and re- 
 quest you to be so good as to present them to Sir Michael Hicks 
 Beach for his obliging promise to be so good as to forward them to 
 the Secretary of the Canadian Institute through the Governor- 
 General of the Dominion. 
 
 I am, &c. &c., 
 
 PIAZZI SMYTH, 
 
 -Astronomer- Royal for Scotland. 
 To Edward Wiugtield, Esq, Colonial Office, Downing Street, London. 
 
 Royal Observatory, Emnbukgh, Sept. 5th, 1879. 
 
 Remarks on Mr. Sandford Fleming's papers on Time Reckon- 
 ing and the selection of a Prime Meridian : — 
 
 These papers, transmitted now through the Governor-General 
 of the Dominion, are before me for the secord time; for they were 
 sent first for an opinion, to be addressed to their author, many months 
 ago by a mutual friend in Halifa-x:, Nova Scotia. I praised them 
 then for their good intentions on a matter of daily-growing impor- 
 tance to mankind, but condemned them for the want of practicality 
 and the unadvisableness of che particular method proposed to be em- 
 ployed ; and my opinion is still very much the same. 
 
36 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIMK 
 
 No matter what bpautifully-writteii schomes any few very leniiied 
 men may propose in tlieii" closets, the workl at hirge, wlio gain their 
 daily bread by toil of some kind or another, will insist on having, 
 observing, or arranging their working days mainly according to the 
 Sun. in their own locality or Meridian. Local time will never there- 
 fore be dispensed with amongst mivnkind at large. And when, for 
 the convenience chiefly of the travelling portion of the community, 
 the local time of one has to be compared ' ith the local time of many 
 other places, and can be accomplished most easily by one of them 
 being considered superior to, and made the Prime of, the others, the 
 Meridian locality of the greatest number of mankind is certain to be 
 most regard' 1. and "will assuredly i)revail, and become the chief of 
 all, as any o})inion of a majority invariably in the end overcomes 
 that of a Diinority. Yet Mr. S. F's proposed Prime Meridian for all 
 mankind is in a part of the world where there are either no inhabi- 
 tants at all. or, if a fe* '^o reside near one end of the line, they are u 
 miserable driblet of Vs'rotoi<< ^ Kamschatkan savages, prowling with 
 dilhculty for food ove, 'v;ov wildernesses under the doubtful rule of 
 Russia ! 
 
 Mr. Sandford Fleming seems to know poifectly well that in making 
 such a proposition he is runnii'^ full tilt against common sense and uni- 
 versal experience. But then he urges the plea of national jealousies 
 being aroused if the Prime Meridian were to pass through the coun- 
 try of one powerful European nation more conveniently for its in- 
 habitants than for those of another ; so he does them all equally a 
 mischief by making his Meridian convenient to no one ; and proudly 
 holds that the grand object now of advances civilization is to consult 
 in everything the utmost development of inter-nationality, or the 
 breaking down of all the ancient bounds which have hitherto divided 
 one nation from another, and in fact formed them into nations. 
 
 But, pray, wiio originally made the nations, God or Satan ] Really 
 one would almost think the latter, when certain modern politicians 
 are so perpetually urging upon their countrymen the })ropriety, nay 
 the very virtue of their doing all they can to destroy those primeval 
 distinctions, and remove them from the face of the earth. 
 
 Yet the Bible, which in this country we all profess to believe, tells 
 us in language perfectly unmistakable, that the nations were a 
 directly Divine institution, enacted by God himself ; wherefore, woe 
 indeed to whoever attempts to abolish their distinctions. Some men, 
 no doubt, have tried, but then who, and what manner of persons were 
 they 1 
 
 Chiefly members of the dread International Commune which tran- 
 scends all mere radical politicians in seeking even by blood and tire to 
 destroy most completely the nations, and to form all mankind into 
 one vast, headless society. And that said Commune is utterly 
 atheistic, without any notion of a God. 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 37 
 
 Just as Its parent predecessor, the first French Revolution, after 
 killing otF Franco's Royal Family invited others to do the same 
 \vhile they publicly proclaimed there was no God, declared the Bible 
 to be only an invention of the priests, and claimed the whole earth 
 as the possession of Communistic man, Avithout any superior over 
 lum for evermore. But whatever other nations may choose to do, 
 the bulk of the British nation, because it believes the Bible to be the 
 insjnred word of God, and obeys Bible teaching, will never be guiltv 
 of anything after that Communistic sort, and will never seek 'to de- 
 stroy either its Royal Family or its national weights and measures 
 divinely given to the orir/ines of its race as an historic heir-loom in 
 the mysterious beginning of time, and in antiquity vastly more re- 
 mote as well as sublime than any of the names quoted by Mr. Sandford 
 Fleminsr. 
 
 Hence the British nation will be under no perplexity on this 
 abstract subject of time-keeping, though some of its requirements do 
 crop up more and more conspicuously as the world grows older, and 
 the fulness of the Gentiles begins to come in. FoV, if the nation 
 does really desire to continue to run in the national paths prepared 
 for it Ijy God, and as they may be read off now with increasing dis ■ 
 tinctness in the sure word of prophecy, it has only to consider "what 
 Prime Meridian will best suit its own people, wherever they congre- 
 gate in the greatest numbers. And it lias something of that kind to 
 consider and legislate for at the j)resent moment, as thus : 
 
 On the very same principle that for two centuries past, the British 
 have held their Prime Meridian to be that which passes through 
 England, London, Greenwich ; so now in tliis present age, when the 
 hundreds of millions of living souls of India have been given us by 
 Providence for f-llow-subjects, the Prime Meridian of the whole 
 nation should, in fairness and justice, be removed from Greenwich, 
 not westward, but eastward. And if the question he next raised, 
 " how far," then due regard to numbers, climate and geographical 
 aptitudes for British life, manufactures and commerce as over-ruled 
 and directed by the only true religion, bring us to the general 
 Meridian of Egypt. And in Egypt more particularly and precisely 
 to the exact Meridian line of that both anfr and anti Egyptian 
 Monument alluded to by Isaiah, viz., the great Pyramid. For that 
 is the pillar " matzaybah," announced by the Messianic Prophet as 
 destined to come forth in the latter day as a sign and a witness to 
 the Lord of Hosts ; and it is now found by scientific er^amination, 
 and weights and measures, proof to contain, conformably with the 
 Bible, religious and prophetic testimony of its own, from before the 
 beginning of any of the nations, to the glorious future of the Anglo- 
 Saxon people, American as well as British. But only for just so 
 long as they obey God in the national paths and within the national 
 bounds which He, with omniscient knowledge of the future through 
 
38 
 
 UNIVRRSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 all its "times and seasons," appointed to them of old, for purposes of 
 His own, in the government of this world, now comparatively near 
 establishment, according to all the more chronological of the Prophets 
 both of the Old and New Testaments. 
 
 PIAZZI SMYTH, 
 Astronomer Royal for Scotland. 
 
 • ■ 
 
 THE LORDS COMMISSIOXERS OF THE ADMIRALTY TO THE SEC- 
 RETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. 
 
 AroiiRALTV, 4th October, 1879. 
 Sir,— With reference to your letter of the 28th of August, cover- 
 ing a Pamphlet advocating the establishment of a Prime Meridian, 
 that should be common to all nations, I am commanded by my Lords 
 <- ommissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint vou, for the information 
 ot the Secretary of State tor the Colonies, that it does not appear to 
 their Lordships that there is a sufficient demand by the public to 
 justity Her Majesty's Government in attempting to change the 
 existing practi <>, and that before seriously consii'ering the question 
 they would be glad to learn that it had been more extensively 
 dis^-: 3d among the geographical and nautical bodies who are more 
 int^iOsted in it. 
 
 I am, &c., 
 
 Ti, TT , c, ROBERT HALL. 
 
 Ihe Lnder-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. 
 
 SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONIAL SECRETARY, LONDON TO THE 
 
 MARQUIS OF LORNE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA. 
 (Canada, No. .367.) Downing Street, I3th November, 1879. 
 
 My LoRD.—With reference to my despatch No. 343, of the ITtli 
 ultimo, enclosing copies of letters received from the Admiralty and 
 certain scientific bodies respecting the ])amphlet entitled " Time- 
 Keckoning and the establishment of a Prime Meridian," I have the 
 honour to transmit to you a copy of a further communication on the 
 subject from the Pvoyal Society. 
 
 I request that this pai.er may be forwarded for the information of 
 the Institute at Toronto. 
 
 I have, &c. 
 
 Governor-General, 
 
 The Right Hon. the Maniuia of Lorne, K.T., Ci.C.M.G 
 
 M. E. HICKS-REACH. 
 
 T 
 
SUPPLKMKNTARY PAPERS. 
 
 39 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF THE ROYAL SOCIKTY, LONDON. TO THE 
 
 COLONIAL OFFICE. ^ ^aiu 
 
 The Royal Society, Bukl.noto.v House, November 6th, 1879 
 
 cop^orJlTtll^!' ^Z ^t'' ^'"'"'^ "^'^' ^"S"^*' ^«70, enclosing 
 roil Ifn T *^'' ^f^-etHiy of the Canadian Institute, To 
 
 Pr"m;Me irZTll \^r^^'^'^'' '''^''''''' *^ the establishment of a 
 i-rime Meuchan that shall be common to all nations, I am directed 
 to offer the following observations :_ uueccea 
 
 The President and Council of the Royal Society have taken into 
 consideration the proposals of Mr. Sandfcrd Fleming lelatL o 
 Time-reckoning and to the establishment of a Prime Meridian which 
 were forwarded by the Council of the CanadiaiT InSte wTth a 
 
 iTe^'ln' "f" ^^".""7 '''' ^ov3rnor-Gene;ai;Tcan:da ^'' ' 
 svlm of Pn 'T 'n?-^ two parts-(l) The establishment of a 
 system of Cosmopolitan Time, with plans for the ready passage from 
 this to apprcximate local Time. (2) The choice of a"^ Primf Med- 
 dian which should be common to all nations 
 
 conTmort''o'^Sf.r' '^.r • ^''*'"1 "^ Time-reckoning which should be 
 obWortt f r^ 1 easily seen; while at the same time it is 
 be melfnf , ?', '' '''^T''^ ^' ^^ all generally used, there must 
 
 nes^dtTife ' '' intimately bound up with the daily busi- 
 
 devTsed'"TllTS!""!r''''^ ^/ *^'" ""*^^"^' "^'^ «^"Vle and seem well 
 devised. The difficulty is, of course, to in<luce the different civilized 
 nations of the world to concur in this or any similar scheme 
 
 With regard to the second point, the establishment of a Prime 
 Meridian common to all nations, the author has adduced stronc. 
 reasons, founded on convenience, why a Meridian passing through 
 Behring Strait, or nearly so, should be chosen. It happens that a 
 Meridian 180^ from that of Greenwich fulfils the condition, and if 
 this were adopted the change in existing maps, &c., which refer to 
 the Meridian of Greenwich as the Prime Meridian, would not be 
 very sprious Ihe choice, however, of a Prime Meridian, even to 
 the extent of adopting one exactly 180° from a Meridian at present 
 in use as a Prune Meridian, is one upon which the susceptiln-lities of 
 individual nations might make it more difficult to obtain concurrence 
 tlian upon tlie mere adoption of a common system of cosmopolitan 
 lime-reckoning in the abstract. 
 
 While disposed to look favourably on the proposed scheme, the 
 President and Council feel that no scheme of the kind would have 
 much chance of success unless there were a general readiness on the 
 l)art of cwilized nations seriously to entertain the question. 
 
 I have, &c., 
 
 (i/ 0. STOKES, Secretary R, S. 
 To Edward Wiiigtield, Esq., Asst. Under-Sec. of State for the rolonics. 
 
tie&it^x-^LtiB 
 
 IWI««:^»:»M»--»>,.»|— 
 
 40 
 
 UNIVERSAL Oil COSMIC TIME. 
 
 MEMORANDUM BY DR. DANIEL WILSON, PRESIDENT OE THE 
 CANADIAN INSTITUTE, FOll TRANSMISSION WITH THE 
 SECOND ISSUE OF MR. SANDFOIH) FLEMINC'S PAPERS BY 
 HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL TO THE 
 IMPERIAL GOYERNMENT, APRIL 5th, 1880. 
 
 Although the subject discussed in the ficcoiniianying papers has 
 not hitherto attracted general attention, it has to some extent met 
 with cousideiMtion in various (juarters, and it is probable that at no 
 distant day public interest will be awakened to its importance. 
 
 Uniform time has long been employed for scientific purposes ; it 
 has been used in recording simultaneous magnetic observations,' in- 
 geogra])hical and astronomical calculations, in observing the move- 
 ment of tides, the track of meteors, the waves of earthquakes, and in 
 systematically recording meteorologictd phenomena. 
 
 It is only of late years that the rapidity of communications by 
 Railway, and the facilities afforded by the Telegraph, have created 
 new conditions which suggest and seem to demand some general sys- 
 tem of uniformity in reckoning Time in tlie ordinary occupations of 
 life. ' ^ 
 
 ^ Those whose avocations luring them in contact with the inconve- 
 niences and complications which arise from our present notation, feel 
 that the necessity of some improvement will before lon^r become 
 absolute. ° 
 
 The question is recognized to be cosmopolitan in its character ; and 
 although everywhere the difficulty may in som- degree be felt,' it is 
 on_ the American Continent, in Canada and the United States,' that 
 it is rapidly gaining marked prominence. 
 
 A large amount of capital has been expended by the Dominion of 
 Canada in the establishment of railways and telegraph lines, and the 
 Government is now appropriating one hundrcil millions of ilollars 
 towards their construction to the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 In a few years the railways proposed will l)e completed, and tliey 
 will extend over 75 degrees of longitude. The various clocks in the 
 intervening ilistances, by which the lines will be oi)erated, and the 
 ordinary })usiness of daily life carried on, will, under the present svs- 
 tem ot reckoning Time, diff(-r from point to point, until the maximum 
 difference of about five hours is reached. Accordinglv the geo«n-a- 
 phical extent of territory, and the general advancement of °the 
 Dominion of Canada, i)oint to the necessity, at no remote i)eriod, of 
 seeking for some change in the present system of reckoning Time.' 
 
 The territory of the United. States of America extends from East- 
 port 111 Maine to the western confines of Alaska, localities differino 
 in longitude 100 degrees ; in tiuie, 6 hours and iO minutes. Between 
 
SUPPLEJIEXTARY PAPERS. 
 
 41 
 
 IMiiine and tlie Pacific States of Washington, Oregon and California, 
 tlit,' (litTercnce in time is nearly 4 hours. Tlie railway system is de- 
 veloping in a marvellous manner in the United States ;' the popula- 
 tion is ten times that of Canada. If, therefore, the question of 
 Time-reckoning claims attention in tlie Dominion, the necessity of its 
 earnest consideration iu the United States is still more manifest. 
 _ The American Metrological Society has had the subject under con- 
 sideration. A careful report has been prepared, setting forth the 
 necessity for change, and advocating uniformity and accuracy in the 
 system of time-reckoning. From this report it appears that there 
 are no less than seventy-tive distinct local time Standards used by the 
 Railways of the country, all differing the one from the other, the 
 greatest difference reaching 3 hours and 58 minutes. The most 
 2>rominent Railway managers have been consulted, and with the ex- 
 ception of _a small minority, they have placed on record the opinion 
 that " a uniform Time " would not only be a great convenience to the 
 public and to the Railway emploj^ees, but would materially lessen the 
 risk of accidents. It is accordingly strongly recommended that some 
 means be taken to establish an absolute uniformity of Time throu<Th- 
 out North America. 
 
 Mr. Sandford Fleming, by whom the Intercolonial Railway of 
 Canada was constructed, and who is now Engineer-in-Chief of" the 
 railway in process of construction to the Pacific, has had his atten- 
 tion directed to the inconveniences, confusion, and complications in 
 Time-reckoning which are threatened by the rapid extension of the 
 railway works under his charge, and he has suggested a practical 
 solution of the difttculties which he foresees. 
 
 The question is likewise of general scientific interest ; and its 
 solution is of value far beyond Canada, for it involves a question in 
 which all civilized peoples are concerned. If uniformity he desirable 
 in Canada and the United States, may it not be equally im])ortant to 
 employ it throughout the whole world I Does it not therefore be- 
 come desirable to seek the co-operation of men of science in other 
 countries, and, if possible, gain general concurrence in any scheme 
 which may be proposed ( 
 
 At the instance of His Excellency the Governor-General of Can- 
 ada, ^the subject was brought under the notice of the Royal Society 
 of England. That distinguished scientific l)ody has recently for- 
 warded a communication to His Excellency, of which the following 
 is an extract : — 
 
 " The President and Council of the Royal Society have taken into 
 " consideration the proposals of Mr. Sandford Fleniing, relative to 
 '• Time reckoning and to the establishment of a Prime Meridian, 
 '• which were forwai-ded by the Council of the Canadian Institute, 
 " with a memorial to His Excellency the Governor-General of 
 " Canada. 
 
42 
 
 UXIVEUSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 The proposal consists of two parts. (1) The establishment of a 
 ■system of Cosmopolitan Time, with plans for the ready passa<^e 
 from this to approximate local Time. (2) The choice of a Prime 
 -Meridian which should be common to all nations. 
 
 ^^ " The convenience of a system of Time-reckoning, which should be 
 
 ^^ common to all the earth, is easily seen, while at the same time it is 
 obvious that if such a reckoning be at all generally used, there must 
 be means of readily passing from it to local Time, or at least 
 approximate local Time, which is intimately bound up with the 
 
 ' daily business of life. The means recommended by the author are 
 simple and seem well devised. The dif :-,'.- is of course to induce 
 the different civilized nations of the worlj i , concur in this, or any 
 
 " similar scheme. ' -^ 
 
 ,< ''With regard to the second point, the establishment of a Prime 
 
 ^ Meridian common to all nations, the author has adduced strong 
 
 • reasons, founded on convenience, why a Meridian passing through 
 
 Rehring Strait, or nearly so, should be chosen. It happens that a 
 
 Meridian 180° from that of Greenwich fulfils this condUion, and if 
 u H '" M '" i^dopted, the change in existing maps, etc., which refer to 
 
 the Meridian of Greenwicu as the Prime Meridian, would not be 
 
 very serious. 
 
 "The choice, however, of a Prime Meridian, even to the extent of 
 u P P*"S ^'^^.^^^^^l^ 180° from a Meridian at present in use, as a 
 Prime Meridian, is one upon which the susceptibilities of individual 
 nations might make it more difficult to obtain concurrence, than 
 upon the mere adoption of a common system of cosmopolitan time 
 reckoning in the abstract. ^ 
 
 - While disposed to look favourably on the proposed scheme, the 
 ^ President and Council feel that no scheme of the kind would have 
 ; much chance of success, unless there were a general readiness on 
 tlie part of civilized nations seriously to entertain the question." 
 
 Thus the report of the Royal Society recognizes the advantages 
 derivable from a system of Cosmopolitan Time as an abstract proposi- 
 tion. The Metrological Society (New York) points out the positive 
 urgency of reform in the United States, advocates that the use of 
 local time be discontinued, and strongly recommends the adoption of 
 a uniform Standard throughout the country. In Canada, as in the 
 United States, the question has become one of practical economy 
 i. yen now the necessity for some more convenient system of reckon 
 mg Time IS experienced, and on the completion of the railway to the 
 I'acitic Coast, the necessity will become absolute. It is therefore 
 not only in the interest of North America, but as a question involv- 
 ing practical results of value to every civilized nation, that savants 
 of other countries may be consulted with the view of maturin- a 
 scJieme in every respect acceptable. '' 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 43 
 
 :estion implied in the report of the Prcsi 
 Society, it appears advisable that an 
 
 In pursuance of the su<:j" 
 dent and Council of the Rov 
 
 ettort be made to ascertain how fat- the scheme would obtain general 
 concui'rence. 
 
 The establishment of Cosmopolitan Time involves the primary de- 
 termination of an initial Meridian, as a zero for computing the revo- 
 lutions of the globe on its axis ; and it is o'lly bv common consent 
 that such Prime Meridian can be determined. 
 
 Mr. Sandford Fleming advocates the selection of a Prime Meri- 
 dian common to all nations, from the fact that its establishment is 
 xv.Aly the key to any scheme of Time-reckoning, of universal appli- 
 cation. He has submitted his views free from all local bias, and has 
 aimed at the selection of an initial Meridian and Time-zero which 
 while awakening no national susceptibilities, would be f^enerallv ac- 
 ceptable to all civilized people. ° 
 
 It is earnestly hoped that this attempt to deal with an acknow- 
 ledged impediment, alike to International scientific operations, and 
 to the rapidly extending relations of trade and commerce, will be 
 considered in a liberal spirit ; and that civilized r i,tions may be 
 lound not unwilling to concur in a proposal which offers a readv 
 means of bringing into use some scientific system of reckoning Time 
 such as the age seems to demand. 
 
 Toronto, April 5th, ISSO. 
 
 DANIEL WILSON, LL. D., F. R. S. E.. 
 
 President Canadian Institute. 
 
 NOTE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-CxENERAL OF 
 CANADA, TRANSMITTING MR. SANDFORD FLEMING'S PAPERS 
 TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE AMERICAN METRO- 
 LOGICAL SOCIETY, TO VARIOUS SCIENTIi<TC SOCIETIES IN 
 EUROPE. 
 
 Government House, Otiawa, Canada, May 12th, 1880. 
 
 The subject of a Prime Meridian common to all nations in connec- 
 tion with Time-reckoning havir- been brought to the notice of the 
 Governor-General of Canada oy a memorial from the Canadian In- 
 stitute the accompanying papers by Mr. Sandford Fleming are for- 
 warded with His Excellency's compliments, together with a report 
 of the American Metrological Society on the same subjects. 
 
 The Governor-General of Canada would be glad of anv exi^ression 
 of opinion as to concurrence with the views therein stated which your 
 
44 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Society miglit desire to be conveyed to the Can.adiaa Institute, under 
 wliose autliority these papers have been published. 
 
 SOCIETIES IN EUROPE. 
 
 1. The Institnt de France : Paris. 
 
 2. Societii de (leographie Paris. 
 
 3. Socitite Belye de ( n'sographie .... Brussels. 
 
 4. Konigliehe de Preussisehe Akademie der Wissenchaften.. Berlin. 
 
 o. (resellscliaft fitr Erdkunde Berlin. 
 
 G. Kaiserliche Akademie der Wi.ssenehaften Vienna. 
 
 7. K. K. (ieograplusclie Gesellsehaft Vienna. 
 
 8. Nieolaevskaia Glavauia Observatoria Pulkova. 
 
 9. Iraper. Ptousskae Ueograticheskoe Obschestov St. Petersburg. 
 
 10. Imper. Akadeinia Nauk st. Petersburg. 
 
 1 1 . Societe de Creographie Geneva. 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF THE IMPERIAL ACADEMY OF SCIENX'ES, ST 
 PETERSBURG, TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA. 
 
 St. Petersbourg, le 10 Novembre, 29 Octobre, 1880. 
 
 Monsieur,— L'Acadc^mie Inip^riale des Sciences, ayant regu, de 
 votre part, les deux Merits de M. Sandtbrd Fleming "et Cleveland 
 Abbe, sur Tadoption d'un Temps Univer.sel et sur le choix, a cet effet, 
 d'un Premier Mdridien, a charge M. Struve, Directeur de I'Observa- 
 toire Astronomique de Poulkova, d'examiner cette question. 
 
 Apres avoir pris connaissance de ces ouvrages, M. Struve en a fait 
 I'object d'un rap[)ort qui ^tait pr^sent^ a TAcaddmie dans sa seance 
 du 14-26 octobre, 1880. 
 
 Conformement h la decision de I'Acad^mie, j'ai I'honneur de vous 
 transmettre ci-joints le rai)port de M. Struve, ainsi que les deux ex- 
 emplaires d'un discours en langue russe fait par lui en 1870, a la 
 Soci^t^ Geogvaphique de St. Petersbourg svir la meme question. 
 
 Veuillez agreer, Monsieur, I'assurance de ma consideration la plus 
 
 distinguee 
 
 A Monsieur le Gouve""eur-General du Canada 
 
 C. VESSELOFSKY, 
 
 Secretaire Peri)etuel. 
 
SriM'r.KMI.NTAUV I'APEHS. 
 
 15 
 
 (r!t.\.\sl,ATIoX) 
 
 REPORT ON UNIVERSAL XnrE AND ON THE CHOICE FOR THAT 
 PURPOSE OF A PPJME MERIDIAN; MADE TO THE IMPERIAL 
 ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ST. PETERSBURO, BY M OTTO 
 STRUVE, MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY AND DIRECTOR OF THF 
 OBSERVATORY AT I'ULKOVA. 
 
 [Road 30th September, 1880.] 
 
 The two papers (Suudtord Fleming, "Time-Reckoning and the se- 
 lection of a Prime Meridian," and Cleveland Abbe, " Standard Time 
 Report to tJie Aiuerican Metrological Society,") sent to the Academy 
 by order of the English Government, owe their origin to the <rreat 
 necessity felt in the United States and in the English possessions in 
 xNorth America for introducing into some branches of the ))ublic 
 service, namely, the railway and telegraph departments, an uniform 
 and rational system of time-reckoning. In the report of Mr Abbe 
 the problem is considered principally from a local jjoint of view He 
 sets forth the motives that have engaged the American Metrological 
 bociety to adopt a series of resolutions with the view of lessenin^the 
 defects in the system at present in use in the United States, a°svs- 
 tem which has been introduced, little by little, so to speak, without 
 
 management 
 
 of rail- 
 
 recognizing the wants of the traveller or the ..„..„... ^„.^„^, 
 ways. There is, in this paper, but one resolution oFiTmore expended 
 range, that of recommending to the Government and the public the 
 exclusive use in >, United States, of Time corresponding with the 
 Meridian situated six hours to the west of Greenwich. The Metro- 
 logical Society admits in principle the desirability in the future that 
 an uniform Time should be introduced over all the globe and it pro 
 nounces itself in favour of the Time leckoned from the Meridian 
 situated 180° from that of Greenwich. ' 
 
 The memoir by Mr. Fleming, supported in his conclusions by the 
 Canadian Institute of Toronto, is of a more general character It 
 proposes directly the adoption o*" the Meridian, situated at 180° from 
 Greenwich, as Prime Meridian for the whole globe, and the introduc- 
 tion of a Standard Time, reckoned from this Meridian, for the use of 
 science and for certain purposes for use also in every-day life This 
 Time might be called Cosmopolitan Time to distinguish it from local 
 Time, and his memoir presents different propositions in view of facili- 
 tating Its general introduction. Nevertheless the arguments in fa- 
 vour of its universal introduction are merely stated in the said me- 
 moir as suggestions which may attract the attention of the world on 
 this important question and lead to ulterior discussions. For the mo- 
 xnent the author of this paper desires only to get from competent au- 
 
46 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 thoritie.s of diffeiont countries a i'esi)onsp to the two following qdos- 
 tions : — 
 
 1st. Does the Time zero, or Prime Meridian, jjroposod in ♦^^he me- 
 moir, appear suitable anil of a nature to be adojjt^d by all 
 civilized nations I 
 
 2nd. If the Prime jVIeridian proposed give rise to serious oly'ec- 
 tions, would there be any other Meridian better qualitied, 
 and which would have more chance of being adoptetl by all 
 the world ? 
 
 Particular circumstances have singularly enabled the writer of this 
 report to offer an answer to the first of these (piestions. Nearly ten 
 years ago, at the desire of our illustrious President, the question of a 
 Prime Meridian was made my si)ecial study ; the results of which 
 were given in a discourse, delivered on the' 4th February, 1870, at 
 the Geograi)hical Society of Pvussia. ( )u this occasion I discussed 
 the question solely from a geogra|)hical point of view, specially con- 
 sidering the interests of hydrography and navigation. 
 
 On this point the simjilest solution seemed to me to adopt as Prime 
 Meridian that of Greenwich, which in this case would ujiite the ma- 
 jority of voices. The preference given to this ]\[eridian wns bused, 
 on one side, on the historical right of the Royal Observatory of Eng- 
 land, acquired by eminent services rendered by this establishment 
 during the course of two centuries to mathematical geogra})liy and 
 navigation, on the other hand, considering that the great majority of 
 charts now in use upon all the seas are made according to this Meri- 
 dian, and about 90 per cent, of the navigators of long-standing are 
 accuston:ed to take their longitudes from this Meridian. However, 
 an objectioii against this proposition is that the Meridian of Green- 
 wich passes through two countries of Europe, and thus thp longitudes 
 would be reckoned by different signs in different portion; of our own 
 continent, and also of Africa. Moi-eover, the close proximity of the 
 Meridian of Paris, to which, pou-haps, some French geographers and 
 navigators of other nations would still hold, from custom, from a 
 spirit of contradiction or from national rivalry, and which miMit 
 easily cause sad disasters. To obviate these inconveniences I have 
 proposed to choose as Prime Meridian anothei- Meridian situated at 
 an integral number of hours east or west of Greenwich, and anion<^ 
 the Meridians meeting this condition I have indicated in the first 
 place the Meridian proposed to-day by scientific Americans as that 
 which would combine the most favourable conditions for its adoption. 
 
 Thus the Meridian, situated 180° from Greenwich, presents the 
 following advantages : — 
 
 1. It does not cross any continent but the eastern extremity of 
 the North of Asia, inhabited by peo})le very few in num- 
 ber, and little civilized, called Tschouktscliies. 
 
 ».. i 
 
si;ppr.EMi:\TA!!v paprhh. 
 
 4. Jt 
 
 r)i' 11 
 
 -. Itco.aci.lesoxactly with that, ^vI,el•o, after the custom iutro- 
 <lii(;(,d by ail htstoncrMl siureHsion ofmaiitiiiK^.liscovei-if.s th.- 
 naviiTiitor umkcs a dmiiir,. of on.' unit in tlio (hite ; a di'mr- 
 <nico wliicJi IS iua,h3 uoar a um„l„.i. of .small i.slaml.s in the 
 Taciho Ocean, .liscovered durin^r the voyages mach; to tli" 
 cast and west. Thus the commencement of a vow date 
 wonhl be identical with that of the hours of Cosmopolitan 
 time. ' 
 
 •'5. U makes no change to the great majority of navigators and 
 liy<(n)gi'ai)hers except the very simple acMitiou of 12 hours 
 or oi l«0^ to all longitudes. 
 
 •loos not involve any change in the calculations of the 
 ephemerides most in use among navigators, viz., the Encr- 
 lish Nautical Almanac, except turning niid-day into mid- 
 night, and r>ce r-rsa. In the^Ameriean Nautical Almanac; 
 there would he no other change to introduce. Witli a cos- 
 niopohtau s|)irit, and in the just appreciation of a general 
 want, the excellent ephemerides, ].ul)lished at \Vashm<rton 
 record all data useml to navigators, calculated from" the 
 Meridian of (Ireenwich. 
 
 universal adoption, as proposed l.y the Canadian Institute it 
 i-CMnmeuds itself to the iuhahitants of all civilized countries 'by 
 reason of tlie gre,it difference in longitude, thus remo'.iii<. all the 
 misunderstandings and uncertainties concerning the rniestlon as to 
 w.iether m any case Cosmopolitan or Local Time was used. 
 
 In aiiswer to the first question oftered by the Institute at Toronto 
 1 ^^^Mlld then.fore rocommen.l the Academy to pronounce without 
 hesitation in favour of the universal adoption of the meridian situ- 
 Jite.l 180 ^ from Greenwich as Prima Meridian of the globe. 
 
 Accepting this conclusion, the second question brought by the 
 bauadian Institute has no farther intei'est to us. 
 
 It remains for me to say a few words on other questions presented' 
 lutlie Tuemoir of Mr. Fleming. He offers suggestions oIi several 
 P^>ints which awaken a desire for further investigation. The.se sug- 
 gestions se;.m very wise. The ideas concerning the introduction of'. 
 <-onimon J.me in all countries probablv will yet take time to ripen 
 ••lud some propositions set forHi by Mr. Fleming will meet ,)erhaps 
 with insurmountal>le difliculties in the h.abits and interests of several 
 countries. To my mind, the most serious obstacle consists in the 
 tact that there is no means of indicating Cosmopolitan Time in difl\.r- 
 eut parts of the world, while the rising and setting of the sun are 
 the phenon- ma which, we know, regulate the everv-day occui.m- 
 tionsof he-,, in life. But the question presents itself in another 
 way, when it affects only the sciences. Without doubt in some sci- 
 ences, for example, astronomy, meteorology, phvsical geography anrl 
 
 questions requiring an exact detenu inatiou of tin 
 
 le. 
 
• II 
 
 48 
 
 rNIVIMlSAL OR COSMIC TKME. 
 
 tlie adoption uiiiwrsally of oiio Ti 
 
 and niii,'lit ho easily flliMittMl. It would 
 
 nie would l)e a valiialilo advanti 
 
 i<:<- 
 
 u numljvU" oH diliiiMiltios. Wo 
 
 save much time imd remove 
 
 scieniitio questions the usa«'t! of a local ti 
 
 nuiKt. however, own that in otlit r 
 
 nie iM rel'eiencf! to the i".,iin^ 
 
 and settin.i,' of th(^ sun would ho pi-efctrahle. Kor the present it 
 would ho. well : J cMiHid.M- at what point the introduction of Cosiuj- 
 ])oiiian Time in the sciences would he opportune. 
 
 The unirersal acceptiince of another idea set forth hy i\lr. F]eniiu:.( 
 would prohably meet with few ohstacK-s. and its ^'eneral introdiictiou 
 is lecommended. In the opening pages of his memoir ho makes 
 the following remarks • — 
 
 "The division of the day into two halves, each containing 12 
 " hours, is a fertile source ot error and inconvenience. This 
 " division ha.s been long in use, but apart from its antiquitv 
 " there is notliing to recommend it, and its use does not confer 
 " any henetit to man." 
 
 Permit me to say that I partake entirely of his views. For this 
 reason I wish i)articularly to draw the attention of the Academy to 
 thorn, -^ 
 
 The division of the day into two halves seems to have slipi)ed into 
 common use without any sufilcient reason. In consequence of the 
 inconveniences it causes it is desii'able that it should he replaced hv 
 the simple division of the day into 24 houis. The example of the 
 Italians and some other nations, where this simple division is adhere i 
 to until this century, proves that its general adoption would not nic v 
 with serious dilKculties. 
 
 To my idea the Academy would remler a great service to tiso 
 world if it supported this proposed change. 
 
 In conclusion, I take the liberty of (sending, on tlie p.');* of the 
 Academy, two Russian papers read at the Geographical fer-r ty of 
 Russia in 1870, which might hoof interest to the Canadian Insti- 
 tute at Toronto, and to the American Metrological Society at Wasli- 
 ington. 
 
 30 September, 18S0. 
 
 OTTO STRUVE. 
 
 
 ( 
 
 ■ 
 
 
SrPPLK.MENIA.'tV I-APEHS. 
 
 41) 
 
 UKMARKS OX A UNIVKRSAL I'KIMK MKIMDIAX. UV DOX JUAN 
 PASTORIX, UKi;T.-(;OMMAM>K!lUt' THi: Si'ANJSlI NAVY. 
 
 Transmiftcd hi/ the liritlsh Afhrntn' ,U M,ulru( t/roiiiih ffw Coluuinl Offlrc Inji/rs. 
 )>.itrh, l.lth March, ISS.J, to Ills lur-vllmrtj the (lor,'r„or-aeneral. ' Th- 
 romiHuiiirn/lon ii in ihi- f arm of' a prr/arr fi, n frniis/atinn and tr-pithUcntUn 
 III //h' S/.iiiihh law/iiat/p, at the office "fIiei'Un-ae„<ral de Mnrhia," „f 
 thfxcrfnil f„t/)er.i im Time-rechminn <i>id ii common Prune Meridian, uu'j- 
 Uiikcd htj the (Jauadiim Institute ( Toroittu). 
 
 (TKAilLATlON.) 
 
 It has always seemed to me very lanieiital)Io that there shouhl 
 exist such a multiplicity of Meridians, and, while in the classes oi" 
 th(i Naval Collei^o I could not understand why the unscientific plu- 
 rality of our reckonini,'s of longitude, < mdenin'od openly by both the 
 Professors and the books we studied, s Mdd be persisted in. Spain 
 iias counted the longitude from the ^\ , Han of the Straits of Gib- 
 raltar, Toledo, the ancient College of ine Guardo de Gadiz, Sau 
 Fernando (in two different citations th ,se of the two observatorie i, 
 t!ie ancient one and the present one), Ferrol, C^artiigena, Plaza 
 .Mayor of Madrid, observatory ot the same cai)ital, Goimbra, Li-- 
 bon (in three distinct places corresjionding to the successive observa- 
 tories), the Cathedral of Manilla, tiie Island of Hierro (in different 
 points, some doubtful)— and, to-day, it is [)roposed heedlessly to giv.; 
 another Meridian of refenuice. 
 
 Tlie marine authorities of the most ad\ auced countries of the world 
 rount the time by Greenwich, Paris, San Fern;indo, Na[)les, Chris- 
 tiania. Island of Hierro, Pulkova, Stockholm, Lisbon, Copenhagen, 
 liio de Janeiro ; and I do not cite Washington because the authori- 
 ties of the great Kapublic of Nortli Anun-ica, setting aside small 
 ideas and national jealousy, use for the purposes of navigation the 
 time of Greenwich. 
 
 It is therefore a natural consequence that the geo;?rapher in exam- 
 ining different charts and in reducing one Meridian to another, finds 
 himself surrounded with difficulties, and in some cases impossibili- 
 ties, for the reduction is impracticable on maps not arranged upoii 
 tiie Mercator projection. 
 
 Why should there be this intolerable multii)licity 1 • 
 Several times it has been attempted to do away with it, but with- 
 out success. In 1869, Spain ajjpointed a Conmiission to propose 
 rules respecting our maps and charts; but notwithstanding the com- 
 petency of the individuals who composed it,-'' the Commission ceased 
 its labours without even giving a reason why nothing had been done. 
 International Congresses have met in Antwer[) and in Paris, but 
 have not come to any decision respecting geograjdiical maps; nor are 
 
 Tlie Coimnission was composed of Jose Einilio de Ssntos. Kr uicisuo de Paula Slaniuej.. 
 FraiiKisco Chacou y Orta, Antonio Aquilary Vtla, Carlos Wyximz, Eduardo Beuoi aud Jose 
 Morer. 
 
■•I 
 
 50 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 there any signs of any attention being i)aid to tlio r((Solution adopted 
 in Antwerp, where it was agreed tliat in maritime charts tlie Meri- 
 dian of Greenwich shonld be nsed. Custom so enslaves common 
 sense tliat we admit as natnral, things whicli ai-e most ridiculous, and 
 we avf not even i)rompted io smile at the al)surdity. Tims here in 
 I\Iadrid we receive telegraphic despatches from the Philipine Islands 
 hours, and sometimes even the day |.revious to that on which the 
 eveiits refen-ed to therein have taken place. The same happens in 
 England respecting the des])atches fron\ Australia. I remeiiiber an 
 e.Kample in point; at three in the morning of the 1st October, 1880, 
 they received in London the news of the opening of the Universal 
 Exhibition at Melbourne at one o'clock in the afternoon of that day. 
 What argument is advanced for the continuation of a state of 
 things which becomes more and more indefensible ( 
 
 I confess I have never seen one plausible reason given for the pre- 
 sent system. 
 
 Antiquity is the claim made by those who favor tht; Meridian of 
 Tenerilfe and Hierro. 
 
 The security of direct observation is the boast of the partisans of 
 each Mei'idiiin held by their })ai-ticular observatory. 
 
 The division of the continents into two hemispheres is advocated 
 by those whose sympathies are with the same JMeridian of Hierro. 
 or wnth the Meridians contiguous to Behiing Strait, as th« initial 
 circle would result in being anti-meridians of GreeJiwich, Christiania, 
 Naples and Paris. 
 
 The great Laplace has said : '-It is desira])le that all the nations 
 of Europe, in place of arranging geograjdiical longitude from their 
 own observatories, should agree to dompute it from the iiame Meri- 
 dian, one indicated by natur-; herself, in order to determine it for all 
 time to come. Such an arrangement would introduce into the sci- 
 ence of geography the same uniformity which is already enjoyed in 
 the calendar and the arithmetic, and, extended to the numerous ob- 
 jects of their mutual relations, would make of the diverse peoples 
 one family only." 
 
 Tlie disadvantages and confusion resulting from the multiplicity of 
 the zeros of longitixde, are so great that the whole world ought to 
 proclaim the necessity of one universal Meridian, Ijut still there are 
 those who do not seem to recognize it. There are others who oppose 
 the adoption of an international Meridian on the ground of the ditH- 
 '•ulty of determining with absolute precision the difference of longi- 
 tude between two places, althoiigh situated on the same continent, 
 and in suppoi-t of their arguments they cite the discre[)ancies in the 
 results of modern observatories as compared with ancient ones, 
 although the former are made fi-om observatories so favourably situ- 
 ated as those of Paris, Greenwich, Washington, ifec. 
 
 •5L 
 
 ^'twM 
 
SUPPLEMEXTAKY PAPERS. 
 
 51 
 
 Not being satisfied with the arguments against a universal Meri- 
 dian, it can he imagined my SMrprise wlien it caine to my knowledge 
 that a body of men so distinguislied and competent as the Geogra- 
 phical Society of Madrid had recommended another Meridian passing 
 by the Punta de la Orchilla, the extreme western end of the Island 
 of Hierro. One more Meridian, when there were so many already ! 
 
 Desirous of understanding the reasons which prompted the Society 
 to adopt snch a resolution. I solicited the hononr of being allowed to 
 enter into the subject. This was conceded to me, and while it was 
 occupying my mind I came into jiossession of the very valuable docu- 
 ments given to the light by the Canadian Institute, and which are 
 the offspring of the clear intelligence of one of its most distinguished 
 inembers, Mr. Sandford Fleming. 
 
 So thoroughly Avas I convinced l)y the arguments of this eminent 
 engineer, and so veiy practical did his system seem for the creation 
 of a unifoi-m Time-reckoning for the whole world, that I resolved to 
 translate his valuable paper into our language, with the view of 
 founding upon it a proi)osition which I should ere this have pre- 
 sented to the Geographical Society had not my time been wholly 
 taken up by a S[)ecial Commission entrusted to me by His Excel- 
 lency the Minister of Marine, Don Santiago, Duran of Lira, in con- 
 nexion with the constant ditlerences which take place between our 
 fishermen and those of Portugal on our southern coasts. 
 
 The work which follows this preface is not, strictly speaking, a 
 literal translation of the jmper of the distinguished member of The 
 (Janadiau Institute, .ait I believe, nevertlieless, that I have most 
 faithfully interpreted the thoughts of the wise academician, and also 
 faithfully presented the essenti.d i)ass;iges of his work. If I have 
 not done so, it has not been the fault of my good will. 
 
 Will the ideas of the author ever be ndopted and put into prac- 
 tice ? For my part, I think they will. The present system is inde- 
 fensible, and it is only necessary to study the new method without 
 prejudice, and think over the means proposed, to see their cleai-nps.s. 
 
 Will there be found j»eople to find fault with the system I 
 
 Undoubtedly ! Tiie ele^cti-ic telegraph was considered an impossi- 
 bility half a century ago, and, to-day, the wires of this impossibility 
 encircle our globe. 
 
 JUAN PASTOR IX. 
 Ayamoute, 30th Apiil, 1881. 
 
 I 
 
t9 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME, 
 
 THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF BEIILIX, ISSl. 
 
 7?''»ia)-Zw upon a N'ormal Tunc to he roinmon to the whole carih, and a Prime 
 Meridian, to bt accepltd by all miliou.i, bij Dr. G'. V. Bojiuluics/d.* 
 
 (TRANSLATION'. > 
 
 During tlie last decade, the gigiintic development of railway and 
 telegrapli conirnunication in the United States and the British j^osses- 
 sions of North America, has in a marked nitumer caused the necessity 
 to be felt of a common recognized system of Tim<*-reckoning throu<di- 
 out this extensive territory. As a result of this feeling, in the course 
 of this year, two publications have appeared which, with a view to 
 the solution of this problem, submit projects of some force not adapt- 
 ;il)le to America alone, but which to some extent would be acceptable 
 to the whole world, namely : Cleveland Abbe; " Report on Stand- 
 ard Time to the American Metrological Society," and Sandfoi'd 
 Fleming, "Papers on Time- Reckoning and the selection of a Prime 
 Meridian to be common to all nations." 
 
 The Director of the Observatory at Pulkova, member of the 
 Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, and our honorary member, Herr 
 ( >tto Struve, in accordance with a commission of this Academy in the 
 meeting of Septertd^er, 1880^ has presented a report on both these 
 papers, and on the propositions which tliey contain for the solution 
 of the general question of a normal Time-reckoning and of a uni- 
 versally observed first meridian, which, in connection with other 
 remarks on the same question, we will allude to. 
 
 The report of Mr. Cleveland Abbe chiefly examines the ])roblem 
 from a local point of view. He sets forth the motives which have 
 l>rovailod with the American Metrological Society, to accept a series 
 (»f resolutions which, from the inq)eifections in'the ]n-esent svstem 
 followed in the United States of America, have in view the removal 
 of the inconveniences pi-oceeding from present practice of Time- 
 reckoning, a ])ractice which, so to say by degrees and incidentally, has 
 come into force, without taking any account of the necessities of the 
 travelling public and the management of railways. One resolution 
 only in the dissertation of Cleveland Abbe, is of a more wide-beai'ino- 
 significance, viz., that which reconnnends to the government and to the 
 public within the United States to refer the Time exclusively to a 
 meridian 6 hours or !)0° west of Greenwich. The Metroloirical 
 Society thus acce{)ts the principle that it is desiral)le that iifthe 
 future a uniform central Time be introduced for the whole earth, and 
 by this opportunity ex])resses itself in favour of the meridian ISO' 
 from Greenwich as the fiist meridian. 
 
 Vi'ihiiii.HimKi'U iler Cosillsclnn fur lii'ilkiiiuli-, y.n He.iliii. Hi'i'iiiisyeKclien iiii Aiiftfi.r, 
 uuil -J Juli, isM, lii'iliii. " "" 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS, 
 
 53 
 
 V'ii 
 
 The di-iserfcation of Mi-. Sandtbrcl Fleming is of a more extended 
 (iiUffumdtieren) character, and his pro|)ositions founded upon it, were 
 sustained by the approval of the Canadian Institute, at Toronto, and 
 it is this body, by the intervention of the British Government, wliicli 
 has more widely circulated Fleming's paper. Fleming directly advo- 
 cites the acceptance of the meridian 180° from Greenwich as the first 
 Tueredian for the whole earth, and tJie univei'sal establishment of 
 time reckoned upon this meridian for scientific purposes, and even 
 for many of the relations of every day life. This time we may dis- 
 tinguish as " Cosmopolitan Time," in distinction to local time, 
 
 Fleming submits in his treatise different arguments in favour of the 
 ujuversal introduction of this Cosmo[)olitan Time, indeed mostly in the 
 form of more generally expressed ideas which direct attention to this 
 weighty question, and which can serve as the star*-ing ])oint for a 
 luore extended discussion. Above all things, he is desirous of obtain- 
 ing fro!n competent prof- -sicnial u'len of all countries, definite answers 
 to the following two qu< Jons .• 
 
 1. Does the Time-zero or Prime Meridian, proposed in the memoir, 
 appear suitable and of a nature to l)e adopted by all civilized nations ] 
 
 2. If the Prime Meridian ]u'opo.sed give rise to serious objections 
 would there be any other meridian bettei-qualitied. and whicli would 
 have more chance of being adopted by all the world ] 
 
 Special circumstances enable Herr Otto Struve to answer the first 
 of these questions, since as early as the 4th February, 1870, y)efoi'(- 
 the Geographical Society of St. Petersburg, he discussed the questions 
 in connection with tlu; first meridian, and exclusively from the <.> ;'o- 
 gi-aphical point of view, with which he specially connected the* 
 interests of Cartography (maj) making and navigation). The simi»le.st 
 solution seemed to him to be to take as a first meridian, that of 
 Greenwich, 
 
 Struve sustained this expressed preference on one side by the his- 
 torical claim of the Observatory of Greenwich which it lias esta!)lished 
 from two centuries of super-eminent service to the cause of mathe- 
 matical geography and the interests of .shi})ping, and on the other 
 hand from the consideration that the greater part of the present maps 
 in use, especially sea-charts, are projected relatively to this uun-idiau 
 of Greenwich, and that about ninety per cent, of seamen refer their 
 longitudes to this meridian. 
 
 But, indeed, according to Otto Struve, there is the circumstance 
 which declares itself against the common establislunent of the meridian 
 of Greenwich, as the first meridian, that it passes over three countries 
 of Europe, Great Britain, France anil S[»ain, like\vis(i the continent 
 of Africa, and that accordingly in dilforent parts of Europe and 
 Africa the longitudes would have different descriptions east or west 
 
 I' 
 
.■)4 
 
 UMVEHSAL OR (OSJIIC TIME. 
 
 iVom GroPmvi.]. (or the siaus -f- or -) ^'^ Tl ^ . 
 
 posed by Saudfonl Fleiiiiiio-" 18()0 f. /i ' ** "leridinn pro- 
 
 '>:ed tribe, the Tschuktschen ^ ^ '' ^"* ^"^"^^^'o^'s and nncivil- 
 
 sp';.c:^::2S:t::!s^:^t:^ni^^ ;r-^'^- -p- -^-^^^ the 
 
 • '->^'e of a day's date won d TcemHrfv " ^^-f ' "^ ^^ •'=''^'-+ The 
 « 'osmopolitan .Meridian. '-^^^oi^linft^y conicide with that of tJie 
 
 3. "It cliaiinres nothing in the pracfin^ f.f n ■ ■ 
 
 '•'"1 gooo-rap],ers, witJi the excenth^ ortl ^^/f. "^'•^•l^^^^J ^^ «^«»^en 
 K^0° to a]] hai.itudes *^^^^1'*^«" «1 tJie addition of ] 2 hours or 
 
 ^^^t::'i::::lz z ::;::;s ^;:..n;;^r^"'^^^T f ^'^ ^'>^'--^^'- 
 
 -^^.., except the ^.ple t^^X'^f ^ -^.^ti^dS^^^^^^ 
 
 tants of alniost all civiliS . u k'^^^^^ ^'''' '"^''^''^'^^ ''v tl.e inhal,i- 
 and nncertainties, nnde d^^^^^^^^^^ ^'^^move all misunderstandings 
 
 .K>Htan.. Local warSjSr^r:^^:;;^'-^ 
 
 l^pon these orounds Hp.-p Of^-. tt*. '. 
 
 .;f St. Petersb,;^.,, i^ti^ ^ ^ t^:;:;;:;,:/ ^ ^^^^'-^ ^^ «-"- 
 
 the^meridian 180° west of Greene i" I .7 ^(^^'"/"""""n acceptan.v 
 
 Bj this opinion the seconT of pi -^'"'^ "'"'■^•''""• 
 
 obtains its solution. ^^ Flennng's submitted questions 
 
 With regard to the questions subn.itted bv Mr VI ■ • 
 ,y<"neral foru., as u starting point for furtW 7 '^^'•.^^^'"">.^^ '" the 
 -luction for all eountries^of a con Ln W r''-^'' '''' *'"^ ^='^'-^'- 
 astronon^er ren.arks, that at pr^e t frin fi'' '""'"^ *''^ ^""^--^ 
 
 iiPiiiilliiiiii 
 
 ... o "'"^' '""iislii.'s cuii.se fur 
 
 v.mt- .iat. twi.e over. *'" ^"^^'■"""^■1' 'l.tte, put Intrk its date a dav L ;"'' '" '"■"'•'■ 
 
 a ua.v, iiius to iiuiiut t!lt) 
 
TJie .(greatest difficulty 
 of bviDyiiiL' C 
 
 SIPI'LI MENTAia- PAPERS. 
 
 IH-p.spiits itself in the fact that as vet 
 
 
 ..n,] . il- '^' ^f':^"^°]'»J^^='i^ 'i'i""" into certain relationsl.ip with tl^eTise 
 and se tnjg of the sun in the different parts of the earth : ^ho a me ■ 
 
 bu^L^s i!^"" ^'"^"""^ ^''''^^ ^^- ^"^^y a;oo:^^'of 
 
 But if we consider this question in a scientific spirit, it follows 
 tl a for some but not for all branches of sciences, for exanu.] f^.' 
 Meteorology and Astronon.y and in part also for physical oestios 
 o the earth and in general for all questions whid/are ft "tZ 
 
 sue Ti ."""IT" f t'"' *^" ^°""^^^^ '^^-1^^--^ »f --■ - 'i 
 V th H le tr ;; 't '"-1 ^''"' ^^^'^'^^^tages. and could be eflected 
 with little difficulty. Besides, it would save much time and set 
 aside a great extent of misunderstanding. ' 
 
 in twr!!'^.*'' t''"lf" •''^'''^'/'' "'"'*''"^ *^^ fi^'«* P''^^^ iuvestii/ate 
 n what 1 ehitionship the introduction of Cosmopolitan Time be o.mor- 
 
 une for science, and for what scientific problims the .pplidtio of 
 
 ^ind!c:;;r ^'^ ^^^^^^ *- ti. ^l .n, sett^g o^'thjt:;^::! 
 
 The common acceptance of another proposition of Fleming's accord- 
 ing to Struve, should meet with sligllt objection, and is to be reco 
 
 esU Zl Vl "'-'^ 7'- •'" "' ^^'""^ '"'*^^1"'*3^' «^«1 "^ 'ts place to 
 
 vt t le llV''t '^'■T'\ 1 ^-^ ^''''''' ■''' ^* P»-««'^* i« the case 
 with the I ahans / .so i„dee<i that besides the standard datum exact 
 
 Standard Time for the several chief places, in the form of L'4 Standa ' 
 
 one loui. apart should be established from which all the re a . 
 
 J.ocal limes would obtain their dcirivntion. * 
 
 thi?"nl T'l'^f' ^""^ ^^- ^'^'•''"■' ^''''''^'' ^f *^« Observatorv of 
 tins place, at the conclusion of his paper, " Review on some Time 
 
 eonsiderations, especially concerning the establishment of a cLn m 
 W'ivj;^ -^;5 Hamburg, 7th February, 1881 flM^^: 
 Junie,l,S61 A 0. Sand J,), },ms likewise taken ir.fco consideration thi. 
 proposition of the Canadian Institute, and expresses liimse . t 
 the introduction of 24 chief Local Times for ol.linarv life in i te ' 
 Uonal rela ions. Ou the other Iwnd, he accepts th^ inti;^hi th u of 
 
 sUndaid da urn for all tnmsuotions i«equiring precision in time 
 
 lie specified starting-point and time-determination vet to he est b^ 
 
 shed i^med j,i the Canadian papers as the '' Cosmoi;.Iitan," ac^l^ - 
 
 nig to Piof. J^oivsters view, must k. the common i>rinciple of a 
 
 n.uversaliy accei.ted and undisputed measure of time freed from all 
 
 d fferences of local tune. Equally for the starting point of Univei-sa 
 
 line, lie considers the meridian the best suited il \>e the one ex!^^ 
 
 ;4l;^h;:t:f^^:.!::;e;.;"^^ '' ^--^^^^-^ i^^o^^y.^.^., 
 
 ( 
 
 ■ Alsu tlio di'.y is (li\i(Kcl liy nslroiioiiicrs iiUo 24 hours. 
 
 I 
 
f ! 
 
 r.6 
 
 uxrvERSAL on cosmic time. 
 
 ADDllESS AT THK IXTERJ^ATIONAI. 
 
 VENICE, SEPTEMBER 
 TIME AXD THE ADOP 
 
 2h 
 
 DEOaRAPFirCAL COXGRESS 
 
 ■'-. 1881, OX THE IlEfiirLATION 
 
 liy Sandkord F 
 
 f.RMlNTi 
 
 'lOX OF A PRIME MEUIDI 
 
 OF 
 
 IMorialP of th' Canndlnu Ii, 
 
 AX 
 
 men to all nations. Me.idmn an<l Time-zero, to be com- 
 
 omers and navigators I is w' I "' ^T' ^"M^loje.l by astron- 
 
 Alexaudria was among ti: «t ^r^ii'^ t^' '"r"""^ ^^^^^'"'^^ ^'^' 
 Ptol.-mv lived in the .econd pp. f , "^^'^"^''""i of reference, 
 
 -as tl. Jnght to be huit; t"^^^^^^^^^^ "'"^" ^'^ inhabitable world 
 
 shores oflhe Meditern^an TZnlu'T'^- "'' ""* ^'^^- ''^'>'""^'' *''- 
 '•■u-th's surface extended nd dis T ? """ * ^'"^>^^'J^'l^'« of the 
 
 -Jo,.tod newinitial m^ -.^^^I't? ?' ^'^^^'^Vhe.. arose, who 
 trouble you with a recital of he \LV "t'^^'^^'^'T that I should 
 the earliest period, lougi^l.^sl ,, rb^'^l'^r'V'^r "'''^'' ^'"^^ 
 at this st.,ge to refer to%he fact hat to n- htr " f vYr '' '^"'"^""^^ 
 have generally selected for starting p^I^^'^Z^ ?! ^'^^^""^^'^^ "^^^'«'^« 
 known to them, and that -is -i mU ',?"^V , "^ ^'"PO'-t'ince well- 
 
 the principal observatoHes of the ' . '' ^T' '^'^'^^'^^ ^'"^ capitals or 
 ••elonged.' Hence thr, nl i "catio n'^V' "^^r" ''''^ ^-«l>-tivelv 
 throughout the world. Wi hin t Z , /"T^"^"'' "^" ''^f^''--^"^ 
 munications bet^veen the p' o les of dX 't "'"' T'"' '^^'"'^'l ««"^- 
 tacilitated, and intercou se^ 1 as tm o^n T^'°' •' ^'^''^ »'eengreatlv 
 oonsecp.entIy been telt that t CZ^^^ ^""T^^^-. " '- 
 i-assnig and unnecessary. For a u n V. "^'^''^'hans is embar- 
 
 I'eclueing this number has beeni o T''"' the question of 
 
 l.rought before the Geo-M hS Oo ' 'T^ "'"'''''''' ' '' ^^'^« ^^^'^ 
 Pans. The question l^s !,;:;n l^^n^ ^ '^t ^^^'^l' ''-^'.^ ^^-u at 
 A-arious proposals have been sui.mitte ? ^'i«" "^'nt societies, and 
 to the selection of a prime n^^n^\!:''' "'^'^•""^^tv with respect 
 in no way been attained. Z^Z ^rtTr^'l ''' ''" --^^^Jha. 
 A-ueral concurrence to the adopt , o one of 7l '• ''■'"'^^ *" ^'^^"^ 
 n.eridiaus, but the«e proposals have f?. ??. the existmg national 
 the question bv awakini ' ^ntl ^^ f 1 V "''''1 '" «-"'--nt of 
 '>a.rrier .litiicult to remover ) " 1^ nt; '"' T^ ^'^"^ ^^"-^-^ - 
 Hutial line, unrelated to anv o lie f h'! l' " >" 
 recognized, have but little advanced the sfH '"*'?'''^'>« '^^ present 
 as such a course encounters JiiHc I ie oVino T'"'','' "! '•'' '1"^^^*^^""' 
 -.ous in their character as to ^:. Ct^^l^'l^'^^r'''''^ - 
 icable. ^ pioposals aluiost imprac- 
 
 o , au(i, as tlie question alfecfcs the whole area of 
 
 
 tg- 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 07 
 
 Civilization its consideration sliould be approacherl in a broarl, liberal 
 •spirit While It may be ui-ed that clio selection of any panic.lar 
 meridian is less important than the ado[,tion of a com.non tirst meri- 
 dian, care shon d be taken to consider the interests of all peot,Ie con- 
 cerned, or hkeiy to be concerned, scrupulously avoidin- ofience to 
 Jocal prejudice or national vanity. On every account it is oxtromelv 
 desirable that an earnest effort should be made to seek for a solution 
 to the problem. 
 
 The unifications of initial meridians ha.s been advocated in the 
 interests ot S'-o-raphy, astronomy and navigMtion. I shall accent all 
 the arguments which have been advanced on behalf of these extremely 
 important interests, and crave your indulgence while I submit addi- 
 tional reasons for the establishment of a common prime meridian for 
 all the world. 
 
 I propose to direct your attention to arguments which sprin.r n-om 
 the relations of time and longitude and the rapidly growing necessity 
 111 tins age for reform in time-reckoning. 
 
 If we take into view the whole earth! ^ve have at tlie same instant 
 in absolute time, noon, mid-night, sun-rise, sun-set, and all intenne- 
 <liate gradations of the day. The telegraph-system, which is gradu- 
 ally sprea(hng like a spider's web over the surface of the -dobe is 
 practically bringing this view of the sphere before all civilize.l cmn'- 
 munities. It leaves no interval of time between widely separated 
 places proportionate to their distances apart. It brin-s points 
 remote Ironi one another, enjoying all the different houits of dav- 
 light anu darkness, into very close contact. Under our i.reseAt 
 system ot notation, confusion is developed, and all count of time is 
 thrown into disorder. 
 
 The local civil day begins twelve hours before and ends twelve 
 Hours atter the sun passes the meridian of a place. As the crbbe is 
 constantly revolving on its axis, a fresh meridian is every moment 
 coming under the sun. As a. consequence, a day is always beiriunin^ 
 somewhere and always ending somewhere. Each sj)ot' around the 
 i-ircumference of the sphere has its own day, and therefore there are 
 during every diurnal revolution of ti.e earth, an infinite number of 
 local days, all l)eginuing with a space of twenty-four hours, and each 
 continuing twenty-four hours. These days overlap each other, and 
 tlH^oreticaliy they are as perfectly distinct as they are inHnite in 
 mimljor. I here are no simultaneous days except on the same 
 lueridian, and as the different days are always in the various sta-es 
 of advancement, difliculties must necessarily result in assi-nun. the 
 period whe.i an event takes place. The telegraph may give^the exact 
 oca time of the occurren-e, but it will bo in disagreement with the 
 local tini(.,s on every other in(>ritliau around the earth. An event 
 occurring any one day may on the instant be announced somewhere 
 the previous day, or somewhere else ' e following day. About the 
 
68 
 
 t'-VIVEKSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 cc.o<hn.Iy inconveiueut and tronUeson^eVl^^nZ^lniJclt T" 
 comes umversa to hrin-^ tlie ti..u.« nf Jiff. ! T • "*teicom-.se bo- 
 iuto ao-reerao.it • a.u th".f 1. of I'^^veut countries and localities 
 
 we Imve iuhei'ited is defppt.\.» fi f v ^^•^"'nl "^ notation which 
 ofiypui co,„uu„noati„„, it is ge„„,,||^ im.pproi.riate! ^ "'*'""' 
 The system which wo folhnv, and which h-is hppn f-.li i ^ 
 
SUPPLEMKXTAUV PAPERS. 
 
 no 
 
 ijiMph VV.VS ^mkno^vn and tl.e l.orse was almost the only locomotivo 
 M. system ,. base,] on the theory that ti.no is re.ulate.l e^X^'o 
 y I.e passage ot the snn over the n.eviclian of each separate U.^^ 
 tuatth,, period between any two solar passages, at anV one phta Is 
 uled into ha ves known as ant..n,.nduu:and />o.^m.r Jan e'.c 
 
 ;::;!et;;:riS;eti;:" ''-'- '---' ^^- ^^- ^-^^^ 
 
 According to the recognised theory, as already stated everv snnt 
 m. the surface of the globe differing in longitude' has 1 em ^^^X! 
 tmct day, and a local time peculiar to itself. Except on the s- nfo 
 .nendian there are no simultaneous days, or hour o ndn u 
 
 li:::::'^^'''' ^^-^ ^'^^^^^^-^ ^' ''- '^y -^•^' -^^ ti. v^s 
 
 In the case of North America the continent extends across one 
 hundred and Hve degrees of longitude. Within its ext line ^ste ! 
 
 n .iZr"' \7u ''■ " ^"^f '^^ '' '^'-''^^ many thousand d net 
 ne. Khans and fo lowing rigidly- the prescribed theory, we mav have 
 
 ; H T ' \''!/*''\''^'^-^ authorities have come face to face with the 
 ^^' and they have from time to time met it as circumstanc s 
 ' ictated I order to operate the long line of railway with some 
 ■i^greeof safety, each separate managet- has been obliged to i.^e 
 he different local tunes and arbitrarily adopt a special" time for tl e 
 novcnent o trains on the particular lines under his charge T e 
 '•adway guide books publish at least seventy-five (7.-)) inv-^ularlv 
 '•hosen standards of time, employed for the running of trains" 1^ 
 
 its otn t '' '"' ''"'V,'^- .^^'"•^' '''y ^"^'^ *«-" «f i>nportance has 
 son time, occasionally coinciding, but frequently differing from 
 the nearest railway standard. The public have been obliged to 
 accommodate themselves to this irregular system, but it has become 
 .'xceedingly inconvenient and irksome, and'a scheme which will "i 
 
 ion IS engaging the attention of the Canadian Institute, the Amer - 
 can Metrological Society, the American Society of Civil En<dnee.-s 
 
 o her'^o'''?" ^.^r^"'^"' ^"^' '^'' A^lV'-^ncement of Scienc^e, and 
 .he Societies. The community generally and the great railway 
 and telegraph interests are being awakened to its importance. ^ 
 It is felt that the question is one in which all countries have an 
 intei^vst, and although it has presented itself perhaps more promi- 
 nently 111 America than elsewhere, it is eminently desirable that 
 Americans should take no narrow view of a scientific matter of 
 worfd-wide interest. 
 
60 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COS.MIC TIME. 
 
 It is liclil by those wlio liave Hcriously considered tlie subject, tlmt 
 a solution of tlie problem which would be good for America would 
 be adviintiigeous for other countries. It is considered that in intro- 
 ducinij a reform in tiine-reckonin;,' in North AmcM-ica tlu^ system 
 should be such as would commend itself generally ; that it should be; 
 one which by its appropriateness and simplicity would have every 
 prosjiect of being adopted ultimately throughout the world. 
 
 A highly impoitant feature of the movement is to employ every 
 means to rend(;r the system g«<nerally acceptable, so that wlu'never 
 the necessity may arise in any other community for its introduction 
 it may be spontaneously adopted — a course calculated to secure 
 ultimately complete uniformity in all countries. 
 
 I shall give in brief an outline of a i)roposition for defining an<l 
 regulating civil time which is favoured in many quarters in Canada 
 and the United States of America: — 
 
 1. It is proposed to establish one standard time which mar 
 be common to all people throughout the world, for communica- 
 tion by land and sea, for all ordinary purposes, for synchronous 
 observations, and for all scientific purposes. This standard 
 time to be known as Cosmopolitan Time* 
 
 •1. Cosmopolitan Time to be based on the diurnal r(!volutions 
 of the earth as determined by the (mean) sun's passage overono 
 j)articular meridian to be selected as a Time zero. 
 
 3. The Time-zero to coincide with the Prime Meridian to be 
 common to all nations for computing longitude. 
 
 4. The Time-zero and Prime Meridian for the world to be 
 established with the concurrence of civilized nations generally. 
 
 .'■). Twenty-four secondary or standard Hour-meridians to be 
 established, fifteen degrees or one hour distant from each other, 
 the first being fifteen degrees from the Pi-ime Meridian. 
 
 6. The standard Hour-meridians to regulate time at all places 
 on the earth's surface. 
 
 7. The twenty-four standard Merid'ans to be denoted by 
 symbols, and, preferably, by the letters of the English alphabet, 
 which, omitting J and V, are twenty-four in number. Th(; 
 ]ett?rg to be taken in their order from east to west. Tlie Zero- 
 meridian beinjr lettei-ed Z. 
 
 8. The hour of the day at any place on the earth's surface to 
 be regulated by some one of the standard Meridians, generally 
 V)y the standard nearest such ]ilace in longitude. 
 
 9. It is proposed to distinguish that interval of time between 
 two consecutive passages of the (mean) sun over the Prime 
 Meridian by the term Cosmopolitan Day. 
 
 10. The Cosmopolitan Day is designed to promote exactness 
 in chronology, and is intended to be emi)loyed in connectiou 
 
 * Tlie term "Cosmic" since suggested, commends itself. 
 
11 
 
 I 
 
 SUPPLEMENTAUY PAl'ERd. 
 
 61 
 
 vvith synchronous ob.servutions in all parts of tLo uorl.l ami i\n- 
 scientitic purposes generally. ' 
 
 11. Local days to coniuience tvvelvo hours before and en.l 
 twelve hours a ter the (u.ean) sun's passage over nlcl f th 
 stamlarcl Merulmns. The local .lays to he distingui e t . 
 let ers of the twenty-four Meridians which deterTuine thell 
 
 12. Local days will he redueed fn +vvr.t.f,r r 
 
 within the perif of each diu^ti^iv::;..:::::^ ^^'ea^ih^'S: 
 
 Hr« o he regarded ,n the san.e light in all ordina.-y affairs ;' 
 local days under the piesent system. ' 
 
 letters of't/"""!"!"'"; '^ ^''r'PolUan Dcuj to be known by the 
 Jetteis of the alphabet in their order from A to Z (on.ittin- I 
 and V corresponding with the twenty-four Hon rl f,:^ 
 When the (mean) sun j.asses Meridians G or >f it il b' '* 
 time or N time of the Cosmopolitan Day. 
 
 _ 14 It is proposed to abamlon the divisions of the IocmI d-.v 
 3nto two sets of hours, each numbered from one to tw h ai^ 
 to en.p oy a single series numbered from one to twent'-fZ 
 vithou interruption ; or as an alternative plan, to number X 
 twe ve hours from midnight to noon, as at present, and o otter 
 the hours from noon to midnight. The after.ioon lette.l W 
 lu agree.nent with the proper Cosmopolitan Time letter.^ ' 
 
 L*). The time determined directly from the Pj-imo Mr-ridian 
 
 IG Local time to be known by the particular standard ]\Ieri 
 diun to which It IS referred. If it be 'determined by mL^ U- u 
 B It will be designated Standard B Time. i>itnuiau 
 
 17. It is proposed to have standard time determined and dis 
 seminated under Governmental authority. 
 
 18 Each city and town of importance to have a public time 
 signal station electrically connected with a central Ibse v!to v 
 
 ;::;h;s!r °^ ^^^^^^-^-^ ^-^ ^^^-^^^-^ ^^^^^ 
 
 'tmvLt^t'^fn^'T ''^'-''^ '!^- *^^^ ^'^ ^^ l''^"''^^'^^^ ^^'it'^ automatical 
 apparatus for dropping time-balls, or otherwise .lenoting the 
 standard time hourly, or as often as circumstances may require. 
 20 All railway and local public clocks to be controlled elec- 
 trically from the public time-signal stations. 
 
 .vilienfluS'the ^v^^ ^"Tr' °"'"" r"^ ''" Proposition. It must be 
 . ment that the svstem of OosmopDlitan time would be a rcadv means 
 of meeting he duh(uilties to wiiicli I have referred. It woul ren 
 .ler It practicable to secure uniformitv, great simplicity erfect 
 accuracy, and compete harmony. The times of pl.oes w de!v^di^.r 
 
62 
 
 uxivinisAr, OR COSMIC timk. 
 
 iu:j: ill l<>ii-;ituil(! 'voiild tliff.-r only liy ciitiiv Iiouvh. Tii all otlior 
 iv.speots Stand.'ir.l tiiuo in every loiii^itiidc .iinl liitititde witulil be in 
 I'Hi-t'ect agreement. Iti theory' every clock in the world would indi- 
 e.ite some one of tli(( twenty-four lioins nl the H.-inio instant, iind 
 there Would It;- |)('rfi'ct aychronihin) witli the niinute.s and seconds 
 everywhere jiround the globe. 
 
 l>y the sy,st<'ni proposed, instead of an infinite and confusing uuni- 
 hin- of loc.d days follov ing the sun duriuLf eii'.'li diurnal revolution of 
 the earth, we should have twenty-tour well delined local chiys onlv ; 
 each local day would have a fi\i>d relation to the othersfand fill 
 would he <>ov('rn(;d by the position of the sun in respei.-t to the Prime 
 % Meridian. These twenty-four local days would succeed each other 
 at intervals of one hour d-iring each successive diurnal revohition of 
 the globe. Tiie day of each locality would be known by the h-tter 
 or other designation of its standard" Meridian, ami the general con- 
 fusion and ambiguity which I have set tui'th aa the consequonc(,-s of 
 the present system would cease to exist. 
 
 Some such sy.stem as that jiroposed I's imperatively demanded in 
 America. It cannot be doubted that the general adoption of the 
 S'-hemo portrayeil would be conducive to the convejiience of all man- 
 kind. The first step towards its introduction is the selection of an 
 initial ^NFeridian for the woi'ld. Accordingly I feel justified in ask- 
 ing you to favourably consider the re.sobttions which I have now the 
 honour to submit. 
 
 RESOLUTIOXS. 
 
 Resoh'ed—\. That the nniticatiou of initial Meridians of reference 
 for computing longitude is of great importance in the intci-ests of 
 geograpliy and navigation. 
 
 Resolved — 2. That +lie selection of a Zero-meridian for the world 
 would greatly ])ro!note the cause of general imiformity and exactness 
 in Time-reckoning. 
 
 Resolved — ;}. That in the interests of all mankind it is eminentlv 
 ilesirable that civilized nations should come to an agreement with 
 respect to the determination of, a common Prime Meridian, and a 
 sy.stem of universal Time-reckoning. 
 
 Resolced — 4. That the Governments of different countries be 
 appealed to immediately after the close of Congress, with the view 
 of ascertaining if they would be disposed to assist in the matter by 
 nominating person to confer with each other and endeavour to reacii 
 a. conclusion which they would recommend their respective Govern- 
 ments to adopt. 
 
 Resolved — 5. That in view of the representations which have come 
 to this Congress from Americ:i it is suggested that a Conference of 
 Delegates who may be appointed by tlio different Governments be 
 held in the City of Washington, and that tlio Conference open on 
 t.lu; first Monday in Mav, 1882. 
 
 
^■' ., 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. gj 
 
 of Delegate,, a.ul to t.ko ,,, , Z ''" '"■''[•»««'l Meeting 
 
 cat.o,« u, ,.e,,,e„t tl.emuf he t,a„,mittu,l to Gene ^l W ™"'""""- 
 Meteoml„,„oal Bureau, VVar De,„ut,uent, wSnltn '' *"'"' 
 
 JUSTICE FIELD, Sui,r„,. Co,,.-,. W,u.U,„,Con 
 
 JUDGE PEABODY, American Oecgra,.hkal Sockty, N«, Torh 
 PROFESSOH CLEVELAND ABBE, «,„„,o,».,, WaM,„,on 
 
 JOHN L ANGTON. P„,a„„ „f „„ <,„„„,;„„ ^,„,.,,, j,^_.__ 
 
 Smolmd—7. That the Italian Government be .•esnectfallv ,« 
 ElJ'Sr'-' "^ "^^^^ '^'°""'°- '" "- «ove3ente"o'f '1 
 
 [translation.] 
 
 The Committee considers that within a ye.u- an International Com- 
 miHsion may be appointed hj the Governments to coi..sider he one 
 
 ^Z^^rlT""^ ^T^T^ ^'''^^ ''' ^^-^ -«t onlv the qu tion of 
 longitnde but special y that of hou.-s and dates. The Commis Ion 
 should bo couiposcd of scientific men, such a. geodicians, sZ^I^s 
 and men who represent the interests of commerce, etc. Three mem- 
 bers niig^U be named by each nation. The President of the TtS. 
 Geographical Society IS requested to take the initiative in br n n" 
 the subject before his Government and foreign Geo.rra,,hical S 
 eties, and to take the necessary steps for the i^aliz^it'on o hi ll ," 
 
64 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Bates th»t tl>t.\, , T "'" proposition of the American Dele- 
 
 wthin" P™''"^"' International Commission should meet at 
 
 REMARKS ON THE COSMOPOLITAN SCHEME FOE REGULATING 
 
 B, P.„„»,„K S,MOK Newcom,^ S.,,erln,c.len, of Naulcal Alr^anac. 
 
 tVas/nmjton, 1SS2. 
 
 pS mL '' "'™ '"'■ »"«''»i='S the inhabitants of the 
 
 can^7;eirus°"' ''"" ''' °"'^- ™"°-' ->'t "^'P ^em, and they 
 
 PHOCEEDIN-GS OF THE ITALIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 
 
 . (TRANSLATION.) 
 
 /s Universal Time possible ? * 
 
 The question of the choice of a CosmoiDolitan MpviVH.^ v • i 
 tenniued, it remains to be seen to w\vT2V^^t\ ] ^^"'« '^^- 
 
 systems of ,„eal Time, each in suecessionlilrilT^rX oS'^ 
 
 „„I''^''°™ °'™'! ,'° ","" proposition, moreover, the very extnordi 
 nary clearness with which it has been set forth Csee Fvrt II ^t 
 
 come Ihe idea relative to the introduction of the one Time in ,1 
 countries will need a long period to popularize it in Eurow and to 
 
 :Ccron^srMX;£'"^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 several national traditions. ^^^^t^^^s. besides striking against 
 
 In our opinion, the most serious obstacle consists in tli« fo.f .1 . 
 
 ther^^no, meansj^he different countries Twng cL'^pllSn 
 
 •^•m^-J 
 
 I 
 
'B 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. gg. 
 
 Time into accord with the rising and setting of the sun_nhennm.no 
 lu':tufr "^' ~^"^^ '-'^'^'^ ^" '^^ ordinaro4rns7f 
 
 Besides, there is another fact which would confirm fTi« r,.. u 
 of xnamtaining the present national hours n ^Jace of adoplTtht 
 secondary Tune proposed by Mr. Sandford Flem'ni even should 
 Cosmopo htan Time be universally adopted. It pres"n s it3f tZ- 
 form:- At present the political bouUry of tCstver^ll^. . 
 Europe establishes the linfit throughout whfch thfrecog" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 date would cease to be used p n f^at- nf t?^ '^^^gmzea national 
 
 Pans, with regard to which nothing eq,,ivooalln tate p'Cce B,U 
 
 not be giftei with'the precise knve^e It '^hrt^ZT' ™"J 
 one date shonld cease and the other day of tte secoSdarv )^^ ' 
 mence In the hypothesis that the inWal anti meridfan of GrZ' 
 w,ch sho„id be adopte,, h wonUl thence arise tte a part rf S™ °" 
 wou d „se the Meridian M, and the other the Mer dTan N T 
 dividing Ime wouhl be the Meridian situate at 187^ of lonri'tide 
 (with the new system it would be no lon»er necessarv J»S ! 
 or west, for longitude would be counted ft-om ejt to^^st? andTl 
 
 JS£;:^e::hr;s>'s?r:r-^:^»iS? 
 j^^st'::^fh«ir^^H^::>--&-£-i^ 
 
 hour possible, at least in political life. "ecerniination by 
 
 But the question presents itself under another asnect when „. 
 speak only of scientific consideration. And without S.J if, 
 science, as, for example, astronomy, meteorolo^; h part te,- lr?3 
 physics, and generally in all scientific questionfioi nested wthSe 
 exact detennmation of time, the univeLl adoption orCosmonoli an 
 
 loss of time, aiid ^■'om'lZ'' 27 Z^j;^^'^^^ 
 Z"'']-',' ■'t r'' "='™''l«lS<'. «'"' in other scientific questions the 
 Zn^a'ndlJSroFthV^inS^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ments bearing upon international relations. P'^'*^' 
 
 I 
 
»ii 
 
 66 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 The general adoption also of one of the propositions of Mr. Sand- 
 ford Fleming, that relative to the enumeration of the hours of the 
 day in a dngle series of 1 to 24, would probably encounter many 
 obstacles ; but its introduction should be advocated in all countries. 
 
 In fact, as we see, the division of the day into two halves, each of 
 12 hours, is a cause of numei-ous errors and inconveniences. This 
 division has been for a long time in use. But undoubtedly apart 
 from this reason no one can find any ground for its advocacy. Hence 
 it comes to pass that its abolition is desirable, and that the simple 
 division of the day into 24 hours should be established. 
 
 The example of so many places in Italy, in Bohemia, and in 
 Poland, where this most simple division is observed at the present 
 time, proves that its general introduction would meet with no diffi- 
 culty, and that this beneficial reform could be effected without seri- 
 ous inconvenience ; and that, besides, the logical consequence equally 
 follows, of the possibility of the adoption of one Universal Time. 
 
 To resume : We consider we are justified in urging that, as soon 
 as possible, the following reforms be adopted : — 
 
 ^ L The adoption of an initial Mei-idian common to all nations, the 
 choice to be made at a conference of delegates. 
 
 2. The adoption of Cosmopolitan Time, based on this same uni- 
 versal Meridian, on which, moreover, na. ally shall be based the 
 computation of dates. 
 
 3. Adoption of one series of hours in one continuous day of 1 to 
 to 24, suppressing the denominations of anti and post meridian. 
 
 4. The question of secondary Time requires to be more considered, 
 at least in Europe. For the present we would prefer to see the 
 national hours maintained, or, at most, we would prefer the propo- 
 sition of the Swedish Commission. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 Having arrived at the end of this work, we believe it is our duty 
 to justify ourselves with the reader by some additional remarks, 
 which may appear superfluous. But by what has been done, it will 
 be clearly apparent that some consideration .should be given to the 
 subject It may be said to be entirely new in the scientific and o-eo- 
 graphi-Al publications of Italy; wliich fact, in itself, has iiuposecUhe 
 obligation of examining the question under its many and various 
 aspects ; when it is considered, besides, that almost all the foreign 
 scientific and geographical publications also give the question a 
 special prominence, either in defence of a given Meridian, or in com- 
 menting on some of the propositions which we have set forth 
 there is required at this time a r4sum4 which all can un- 
 derstand ; and it is now so much the more callerl for as 
 it is likely, by the invitation of the United States of America, 
 
 '^H 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY papers. 
 
 trivial ].onour to A r °"^^* ""^^'' *° ^rget he^e ?' . ?•! '^""*^^ °f 
 a reform of so m„I^ ^'/"^ ^^^^"^^^ *« ^11 cTvili 'edf 'r"^' '* ^"^" ^e no 
 ot so much interest to science nnT • "^^^^n^, to sanction 
 Whether one initial M^.; r ^ ^^avigation. 
 
 ary importance \vt ™'^^^^ or another be a.lnnf. i ■ . 
 decision and all J^ ^« ^«««ntial is that dlZtf' '' °^ ^««°nd- 
 
 eivilizati^^ ,7s"rirf"^r*^^ "^ tt ^11:^ 'ofT' "^ *^^^ 
 
 ^-e it will be actt;ii:hf;; '''' ^■-^^- ^e prS t::TzCn 
 
 REPORT OV Twi? iir* 
 
 cietermininrr a Primp Ar« • i- * Washinijton for i-h^ ^ *^^ 
 
 iue Lonference was iiei,? i,, n » , 
 iands, Pararrn.,. i... I ^^'^7' Japan, Liberia Ar..„-/' .V^®^* -^rifc- 
 
 It was attended by myself ,,. , 
 
 Sr' '"" °-"""» oVclSr'^ °'«-' Britain appointed 
 3^ ^^.^™« ,.nt,e^ 
 
 A. Captain Sir F. J O F,-... ii 
 
 3. Lioutenant-Genera stra^rr"', """'""''^^ ^'"--"y- 
 The Delegates assembled o'', """'■ "^ "" Counofl „f [„„;, 
 
 ■ 
 
•Il 
 
 68 
 
 UNIVBRSAT. OB COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Meridiau, which now exist. 'tlSSS/Xw ■"""«««">' »' "'"W 
 
 at the Observatory of oSS «<■?.; ■ l"? « °?.""' """•"*■ "■stmraent 
 Adopted. ' ureeawioh as the initial Meridian for longitude, "_ 
 
 Yeas, 22. Nays, 1. Abstaining, 2. 
 
 ieas, 14. Nays, 5. Abstaining, G. ' 
 
 IV. 
 pollffoj whic^'lJ'naan.f 7"''i *'^' ^"'"f'^^^" °^ '"^ Universal Day for all pur- 
 
 With the use o?ii^ ^Shi^isr^^^ Sfi^^il?,;;;:?^ 
 
 ieas, 23. Nays, 0. Abstaining, 2. ' 
 
 wc^I^SSSJI^/^i^^i^l-- jolarc^^ f-' ^" the 
 
 with the beginning of the S C an 11 .f f}"V 'U ^ ^P'^i^"^- coinciding 
 
 counted frofn zero^p to t^^^L^^i^j^lt'^^'^-' "^' ^^ *" '^' 
 
 Yeas, 15. Nays, 2. Abstahiing, 7. 
 
 <^^^^S:^ZrS::,Z^&'' '" T'^ ^^ mayhepraeti- 
 at mean midnight, "-C7a,v.eXS«^X;r/Ji.^' '™"^^^ everywhere t.! l,egin 
 
 VII. 
 
 sign^U^pglSe-td-SttrtraSl^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 division of angular space and of tinSS l°c rJ!^LtT T""' '" "'» 
 
 -2;5«r ""' "■*"-"°" '° ^" — i" »w«i.X«ii«ar.s^^^^^^^ 
 
 Yeas, 21. Nays, 0. Abstaining, 3. 
 It was further resolved unanimously, 
 
 .nstance and wfthin whose ten^ito^/t cirre^Xt^TrenS '"^^'^^^ 
 
 It will also be seen on reference to the proceedin^^ nf ti , . 
 
 session that the thanks of the Conference weVe^Tv^f to th P ''' 
 
 dent. Admiral Rodgers, of the United States Na'vrand ^l^"^ 
 
 fl 'il 
 
•Il 
 
 I 
 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 retaries, Genpml <a+ i ^ "^ 
 
 -I lie question of the Primp M^ -a- 
 
 stould possess a character of abfoW . ^""^"^^^^ *« be selected 
 the resolution (paw Sfiv '. u absolute neutrality. '' it shonlrl '' 
 
 . Under the circumstances T f«i . "^^'^ "^'' America." 
 
 ions shoi,ld ciiuse as litUe intcf!...! '" "'*"« "m" our deois 
 
 *oms and that we should t, 5° T\T "' P""'""'''' "*!> P™^eurc„T 
 number; that we should ineck! """^wo-oe of il,e jjreaS 
 
 contended that to choose and T.^ ="',''' ""'"""' 'Sensitiveness r 
 ^™ply be an atten^pt t^ertab iT """:'';• '1 ™"'"-'" M'-Wmn -ould 
 n use by any individual natSi;™^;';'' f T ^'"''''''^' »" "ot 
 tW in f ''"'^' ""='•» reconmSed bv H ° ?'""« "^ ""^ """- 
 
 ^'ould create a "tSh £.111!™'"","°"' '' " '«' ^ Z ^eZ" 
 
70 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 «,-J!i 1 r'^''^'' Of Greenwich were established it wo d possess 
 It It would become the Prime Meridian of the whole worl -^L 
 
 d,W' 'wo Yr '?; 7"^^^ '^'''^^''''- Ti- -ords '' Greem^ch Meri- 
 dian would really have no place upon charts. The proper terms to 
 
 oni?:rnatn%\n'Sf •" '' ^^^^ ^^'^« ^-^^ "---ous, 
 vo e was arr ved ^^^ .^^^''''So, voting against it But before th; 
 
 tions T^iMtT K T""'^ '^ P™P^^' ^^ o^-^^«^ to meet the obiec- 
 
 This proposition did not receive support The m-,\n.-\+.r f u *i 
 dlan of Greemvich as the Prime Meridian " 
 
 dufv^S'SlTt ottlf "■ P™-''»S^ f the Conference, I felt it my 
 
 tude in two directions : that it shon d il l! t ^" '^"''*^"° ^^^^«^- 
 onlj; that the Merid anrsl ou Id f ?^'!f '^ "' °^'" ^^^^^^^i^^^ 
 zero^towards tlre^lX:yoia^^^^^^^ ^om 
 
 denote east and west longitude ^-^P^^^^^ons ^fes and minus to 
 
 thJt^t^t^iiiiStasifTfesir:^^^^^^^ 
 
 the ,ema* .hieh I^SrXi^'^^ to^ rhtt^t^pM^-.r 
 
 .1 
 
 «>ii 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 122, and 124) * M '^ 
 
 aocm-,1 with the.e vLT" ^■""^"S'"^ "■»' «-' Britain were not in 
 
 confirmed hv f>, j. V-^ '^^ ^ouiid coixvenienf- m/ ". ^*^^ »" pur- 
 
 3. To establish a sound r-n+ir. i 
 maj eventually be adonted t "^ m''*^'" °^ reckoning. Time wV T 
 
 ^e«qr;:.:::'j,';:i'::]^ ^tn - -r- °^ -o«n,e„<,ation, 
 
 deJil^-^-" ^''' - eon*r it neoessar, to «ae .,p„„ 
 2. T,.e Univerl, Da, ir.ir/""^ "^ ^^"°^'"-''- 
 
 ^^ot^t^lXSr-' ^"^ - to Be oo,.„tea in „„, ..,,, 
 
 * AppendedTpagtTrr ^ -__ 
 
 t Appended, page 77 to 82. 
 
72 
 
 UNIVERSAL oa COSMIC TIME. 
 
 solar passage on the Meridian 1 ?° Z.JZ '!u^^ *^^ '"°'"''"* ^^ ^lean 
 
 mined ar^o^rtVe^^t^^^^^^^^ -^ practical,, deter: 
 
 the Universal Day? A princiX of /^ T^' -^^ twenty-four hours of 
 secured when the systenf of '^PJai'H:"'^^?^;'^ ^"^ consequently be 
 comes to be adopted in other cSte^s "'t T ^^ ^our-standards 
 upon .n Canada and the ^ni.:TZ^.i^^-f:::^:-^ ''''' 
 
 a^opXlrt^^-t^-.^^^^^^ Ilniversal Time was 
 
 that while the representativefo^^ ' n H "'' T' '^}' ^'''''^'' «^^o^« 
 no negative vote was cast a4in fc^T Tl ' "'"' "^"'^ ^^°"^ ^'^'ing, 
 authority to tliis new mode of Timl V l^'\''^'^Snition now given by 
 To my mind, it is far-reSin. i^ it' "''^ '' "^ ^''^' importance^ 
 step towards the unification of 'Llt^T'TTT' '^'"^ ^^^^^^^^^^ a 
 doubtless depen.l ^reatlv on nU -^""^^^'"oughout the world. It will 
 
 this new syslem St^Z:C!'S:^T T'^T ^"^' '^ ^^^^^ -t- 
 can be drawn to prescribe T^n^ni^^"^ f : ^,^ ^'''''^'^•-^J "ne 
 convenience that the practical Ctn" i /' °"^^ ^"^^^ ^se and 
 years the uses and ad^nta^es o Fniv' ^t-^'""^" ^'' ««"^'«« of 
 derstood, and that which o"t ns .e^e Itn ^'"'' '^^"^ ^^ ^^^^t^^' u^" 
 extraordinary, to the one succeedW 1 i''^ ''W>ear strange and 
 and normal. succeeding may be regarded as regular 
 
 «et forth in some papers Xh we't mm ^'/.^^^^^acter with those 
 back. It was the L mcil of t^ ' n P'f''^'^<^ "^ Canada six years 
 took the initiative in l^wL tL^'S"^?? l'''''''''^' Toronto^wh^ 
 This body memorialized hf^fefaJt^J^'' ^n'''' '^' ^'^'^^ - ^^^t 
 the subject, submitting clocumts on T" "'';'''!' ^"'^ ^°^'"«' °^ 
 tion of a Prime Mercian trbec^L^rr',?""^"-"^'^ '''' -^«- 
 through His Excellency's official .Tl *°/^" ."ations. It was 
 that copies of these papei7wl'broifd;r"'^"'¥' ^^^ "^A-'^^^e 
 Imperial Government ThroT'li the ^^ . """"t"' ^^' "°^^«^ ^^ the 
 Government they were submitted to th.rr'"'*'"^ °^ <^^^^ ^^P^^'ial 
 nations, and became known to inen of t ''''''''''.^^ '^ ^^' '^'^^^^'^ 
 His Excellency evinced a dee^, nLres in T '^'^ ^"«^ reputation. 
 
 I 
 I 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPEHS. 73 
 
 that it ,„., er„SrlS^rabL that S' °* ■■'■■'° """"^ P<"n«ng out 
 an agreement with rfsS to tl,. It 5 """°™ "'""''<' "^""^ "> 
 
 Meridian and a s^eTof U„ '™ltS 'Th "' " r""?""" P"«'« 
 suggested that Dele^tes «h,«,l,I )T • f' , , *" ™o'nHons further 
 mente to n,ee in Confertcf L^^ W ^^ "■" '"«'•"•'"" G"^"- 
 
 tW The resoluSf ::rwUMh' fir: andf T/'^^ ^""^ 
 gentlemen from the UnifPrl Mfolo • '^ ^'^^'^'^^ support of 
 
 and the United ^tll'S^t^ ::^^^J^!::^^ '-"^^ 
 
 inJorTar:ro^t:kt"t 't P-^d^-t Venice led to the 
 I^omein 1883, wh ch xn 4 turn 1''"^''°''! ^''^'''' ^'^'^Sress at 
 the way for the wort oTt^e wThi^glf S^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^^"^ 
 
 the'^^Ji^^:?/,^^^^^^^^^^^^ I-titute has not been 
 
 greatly influenced by Societies in Xtt .' /T""'"^^ ^^« ^een 
 
 American Metrolo^ical Socttv an/ ^ ' ""^^"^^^ *^" 
 
 Engineers. Thosetctties W ^1^ , ' American Society of Civil 
 tion, and directed thp^flnf /'!f^°''''*'^*''"^ considered the ques- 
 
 Gov'ernment to it. """ "^ '^'' ^"^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ United sLes 
 
 I htrS:;,ltmro7'^^^^^^^^ '•' '!" ^^^^^--« -^ Washington, 
 
 to bring about^tr:llt^rr ifef Tt"^^^^^^^ ^p^^^*^^ 
 
 be held an impropriety on mv mrt \u T' v *'""'* *^^*^ ^^ ^"^ ^^«t 
 part Canada has plav^Hn^e^rJ n f '*''^'"'?- "1^°^^ ^^« important 
 in the determina? ofof tn inl 2] P •""'^'.f ^^^^^^^^^ Time, and 
 With two copies ofThp n,.nf 1 , ^l''?^ Meridian for the world. 
 
 I also forv3 eopi o the dn '"^^ \ ^"-^^ *^" '^""^^ ^° «««lose, 
 Institute. ^ °^ ^^'' documents issued by the Canadian 
 
 I have the honour to be, 
 Sir, 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 SANDFORD FLEMING. 
 
 I 
 
74 
 
 UNIVERSAL OH COSMIC TIME. 
 
 APPENDIX TO REPOIJT ON THE ^^•ASHINGTON CONFERENCE. 
 
 l'3th, referred to in the 
 
 Extmvf. (1) from the ProtoroU of Session, Ortoher 
 
 forrijoinij Biport, pay,'. tJO. 
 
 mustte\*m?rVacL;n Conference has to oonsi.ler 
 
 tioiul ..r inditiS ro 1? ' "' ^^"^ """'")"" '"*"-^'«*' *" ^''^ aside any na- 
 g.t,j.ean^_f-,^ 
 
 individ.^d and nationaHn^^Sn^e t p'o^ SI' '* ''" ^"""'* *™^ ^^ ^^"^^ 
 
 thfs (Tnfetnt^is calir/'l.^^^^^^^^^ «" *^^^ '^""» 'l"««tio" for which 
 
 after, to th:rns?tSsSdivSuS ^^^ ^^ ^^°'^^ ««"^"-' "^ ^ ^-- 
 
 acc^Jlnro^iL' neSi?v "S T l"^?^ n ^-^ ^^?^^" ''^'^^"''^ '- -^-^^^ «" 
 fcirely new meriS one wh,V ^ *'^'"^ -'^ ^^'"^ ^'-'J^'^ti^" "f an en- 
 
 as al^ initial'Sdikns L S .'a rnr/or^lcir"^^ '"*?" '''f ""^ '"^>- "^^'^^^ 
 ^^ eon^dered neutral ^^^^^^^^^1!^:^^^^::^^:^^^^:^ 
 
 mg initial meridian. Wouhl we th -n W ' , ' ""'"^'I'^t^'il *" '"ly exist- 
 
 we are met ? I ask would tLtwenty-irnaror^^^^^^^^ '''' t't ''' ^^'^"^'^ 
 recommendation to adopt the nei^traKridhn T ' ^,f "-f ^'^t^d accept our 
 mg of the resolution would not in tW 1 'f } ^^''''^^y ^^''^^ ^^'^^ ^^'^ Pass- 
 
 portant question before the Con erence ^hH'r. n'^'^ settlement of the' im- 
 different first meridians The ad.mtioT; J ,1 ^''''' ^}'''"''^y •'^* ^^'-^^^ eleven 
 
 the Delegates from France wourf?. ? T^- "^^^^l^^" contemplated by 
 and proportionate^Lrerse thiVfficXShrS.-^ "'rff^ tlfe numbed 
 parts of the earth are assembed here to rem^^e "''^ delegates from all 
 
 any'eSr it would iSShfcUfficufc '^*"f T °^ ?'^ ^^««^"*-"- « '* ^^^d 
 object which the dSeiSrovernmf^t^^^^^ ^ """'l"^* f'^^ ^^^'-^^ ^^ '^ot the 
 
 to this Conference TTePesiShas^w^^^^^ ?^^'>' ^^"* ^'^'Si^'^' 
 
 the advantages which would be L^ained rVhir,* "'^"' opeflingad.lress 
 would be avtided by slafalg Ss ha^^ '^'''''^''' '''^''^'' ^^ *i^««. 
 
 Besides the benefits whiTwouldTccrue to S '''"'' °^ longitude. 
 
 equal importance in con:ttTo'n w.^rTefegTlS^f'u^^^^^^^ «^ 
 
 from our conclusions. ^j^uicwon or j nne, to sprmg, 1 trust, 
 
 It does not appear to me that the adoption of the mnf ,•«,. ^. 1 1 • 
 advance these objects. I do not say that the princLS of . n! T^'^, "' ^% ^^^ 
 wrong, but to attempt to establish one wouldTfp.l «of^ <^ ^T*'"'''^ meridian is 
 no good result. A ieutral r.eri^^t:^JJl^^'^:;:rf:^^^^^-^:!. 
 
 I 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY papers. 
 
 75 
 
 
 ■■> sufficii.„tJ„ „.i°l, 'S '?"'»' ""Ti.li-i,, relatel to LJt! ""weptiWIitios. 
 
 ^ 'inia iianioil, in 
 
 INITIAL MERIDIANS. 
 
 Ships 
 
 OF ALL Kinds. 
 
 Pkk Cent. 
 
 Cfrtenwirh 
 Paris .. 
 t^i'liz ...".".".■" 
 ■Nftl'les .....'." 
 Christiania 
 Perro .... 
 
 Pulkova,. 
 Stockholm'.!" 
 Lisljcii " 
 
 Copf)nhaji''n','." 
 Rjodo Janeiro.' 
 •Miscellaneous 
 
 Total ... 
 
 "'■'"""■r""*- s..i«.lT„.,.^... 
 
 37,003 
 5,1)14 
 2,40S 
 2,263 , 
 2,128 
 1,497 
 987 I 
 717 I 
 491 
 435 ! 
 253 I 
 2,881 
 
 14,600,972 
 1,7.S5,0S3 
 660.602 
 715,4)8 
 695,y,'s« 
 567,082 
 298,641 j 
 154,180 
 164,000 I 
 81.888 I 
 97,040 
 534,509 
 
 100 
 
 100 
 
 It thus appears that one of ihZ T, ' ' -— 
 
 international ^er^H^iens nSr^t '^ ^ "^^'-'^ S ia^ STI ^'"^^ '^^ «« 
 to a great extent fn^f national siiseenti})i]ibV« tI • ' ^"^^ '*» use as an 
 and Tim. f L "l-?- '^"i^^e «hs obiectin, "i ,! 1,'.'_': J* '« possible, howeve " 
 
 tor a ym-.i ^# T _ . . . ' 
 
 to a great extenfT' "''''"•' "^"onal suseentibiH«„"'''''T."?"' ^"^^ ^ts 
 andf'ime, thi'n eVicS^^^^ ^^;« possible , 
 
 ^tory; L nl'"I!?.^lL^_* ,T""W "ot reauir?lL5ifJ'^i"gon the 
 
 ""u 1 line, the meridiin fo. *.T x \"^J^^^ioii bv takino- f,.- i—oiu-jc, nowever, 
 
 «'^me great circL "s t^reJmvS* ^'^«*^"* ^^onf SS^^eh 'tT' T^-^^"^'^*"^!^ 
 new oI,servatory -Its riTf^'^^'' '* ^^""W not req re J L ^J'f, '""g on the 
 tables, beyond the\ oLtio? f V"^"'-'^^^ P'-O'luce no ^ alJ t ?''^''^^^ «f a 
 clanned for the (> S^ 1 rV^'*^^-'^^' J* ^voul pSi^ atut ^"'•^"ti-al 
 zero for regulating. TimTi> J .''" "' connection with n. • ! '^ advantage 
 /"er dian. '^This Pae He mJrlf^ '",' ^-'''^''^^ *" be prrfe^ed f i?^'"^ ''^"'^ '"^^ ^ 
 J"»gitude being reckon^?? "''^"^'•«" ''eing acpppted ?« ?/„ *'''' Greenwich 
 
 to the noc^ssitv nf f ''''"*'""''»sly in onrdirrpH^ ;T common zero, and 
 
 neiit services remfere.l bl ^l! ^ ^''' V^,'''"'^*°'y "f Sio^^nd'f ' ?" «»« side, 
 
76 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 passes through two^ countries of Kr n '' *'»'i* '^e meri.lian of Greenwich 
 reckoned by different sSTudifFpri'^V^"'^ *r^"' ^h'' longitude would be 
 of Africa. ^ '" different portions of our own continent and also 
 
 ^'^V^'^'^oZVfI^^^^^ of Paris, which, per. 
 
 to. from custom, from a spirit orcnTrafietZ 1"/''"' "'^tl^'^^^""!'! ^ti" hold 
 easily cause sad disaster To ohSil ^ ' '""^ national rivalry, might 
 
 toch'ooseas Prime mtiVlian'anth^'^^nSJrsS^^^^^^^ '■ l''^^^ h'T^ 
 
 of hours east or west of Greenwich and a.nSfl, r * ''" '" '-'^'"'''^ '"™'»'^'' 
 
 clition, I have indicated, in th^J iVs t I'^rf^.l '"• r ^ 
 
 scientiric Americans as that whin . I'm ' H .'"«'"'l'''i» proposed to-day by 
 
 tions for its aloSor Thul h^^ 
 
 presents the folIo^Wng a.lvant^eB _ " ' " ^^^' ^'""^ Greenwich 
 
 of '^in!'inhSr[^y;:;j;ir;±f^;tt r^^" v^r^'y -^ ^^e xorth 
 
 Tschouktschis. ^ ^ ^ y ^''' '" ""'"'^'^r and little civilized, called 
 
 change of one unit in the Int ? iffren e whic^J" i *''^"•^^'•g''^t- »^akes a 
 small islands in the Pacitic Ocean .,tu- ,^^ , '!/"''"^^ "''''^'' '"^ "»'»'^er of 
 east and west. Thus the co mnez ce^^^^^^^ ' """^''' * '! ^'"y'V^'^^ '"'"^'le to the 
 with that of the hours of CoZq^^^^^^^^^ ^^^*^ ^^'""l^l '>^' i'l-utical 
 
 "3. It makes no change to the trreat rmiorif,, ^t ■ . 
 g^^^xcept the veil simple ^^^STlZ:^ C:;!--l-^}^y^^ 
 
 moI^iJV^r^^i^l^Ss^^^r ii;;t ^\ *•- Ephemerides 
 
 turning mid-day inlo micfnigSt, and rt ^ 5 t^h*''"] '^^'"''^"''''^' ^^'^^l'* 
 Almanac there would be no othe^ chauLe to Tnfm l *'^^,,^n^*^rican Xautical 
 spirit, and in the just appreci^itL off Jne, ll w fV. ^^'*'^ ,^ cosmopolitan 
 Ides published at Wash igton, record JdZfjTK^^'' '^'""'"* I'^phenier- 
 from the meridian of Greenwich '^"^ ^'^ navigators calculated 
 
 SS^-srt^;:trtt^tiJ^--s^s^ 
 
 Local Time was used. *i''*''''°"' '^^ *° whether, in any case, Cosmopolitan or 
 
 "In answer to the first question offered by the InstitntP n+ T * t 
 therefore, recommend the Academy to uroiiouncP vvltl ! f T°*''' I^^'onld, 
 of the universal adoption of the iLriC sSef ?so^;'''**) '"" ^° ^ 
 Prime Meridian of the globe." situated ISO from Greenwich, as 
 
 ScLrs^^of^rpSe^sS^il^^^^^^^^ '^ *^^ ^-Perial Academy of 
 
 pre\e»u^^f .i^,^ the problem 
 
 plated in the motion of the honorabfe clele"ates Vvi^^r'^'^'V"' ^^""^ «"»tem- 
 eific meridian referred to would soo, brreclmized J^^^^^ '*' "''g'"' ^^'^ ^'a- 
 any meridian could possibly be If on thefther h.n f '"^' ''' ,^""^*^ ""^"tral as 
 I very greatly fear that the main obTect of thL Pn, f ' '"'" ^'^''•?.* *^^ ^"«tion, 
 and the settlement of a question so Snant with ^^''^Z^""^^ '^'^^ ^« ^^^^'^ated 
 be indefinitely postponed Pregnant with advantages to the worid will 
 
SUPPLEMENTARV PAPERS. 
 
 ^ 
 
 Mckoiica in one direction . *^"'« ^ho think ?},nfi "x'^^'^t^'cope of 
 
 At present wc arc witl,„„t u ^ "^ "''■■""'" 
 
 .' .» ....uHiciMt fo,. Z wZlT'f ""'' °«--"«<l ."a„v dUl r' °' '■■•'""-ay 
 
 eudmg. Thus, whiS' f '"ll^" ^* '*'^ commencem;,,^ "r^*^ i'«'"* «» the 
 ^,-^f''''''^"ly the ]umrs -in,l , ■. ^""'^'''^^ '>'' our phmet ^ ''°''' 
 
 lr.trj^gi™^-»tX5rtt™Lr^tiircr^^ 
 
 As we contemplate tl,« . '°'"^ ^'^^^nt 
 
 'i;«rElteVI:r»SK^^^ oannot b„t fee, 
 
 jace, when eSte„oe f -.''Xi'f''"'' If*' '" S' etrf 'Itl H "'''' "P'^Hy as 
 .» . (" the ,lays when tri ^ ?',',"' "'" ""''.PlicatioM „S'''.™f.°f ""' hum,n 
 was related f?„,„ t he „t,,e, i^'™''' '■■■"'"'a' PuStBa?,,? '"''f""" '«" 'ei 
 f ""'""..".icalion between' .iS!"."""""™ "»» SLe ' r?^ °T"""'"y 
 
 s=t;--i ':£.=hat's^^^i^^^ 
 
 an.l near relationship ami l j?''''"^'^ ^« ''''a^" intoln S*f "^^^.^^ ^^^ '-^nni- 
 to niany disturbing Ifluencl, ''""^ "°^^ ^^^»"»e sensS^^Tn "^^g'^bourhoocl 
 even unthought ofV/e" "!' Ir""' ^^koning of t ne itorr''^'!"'"'^^^ ^"^ 
 civilization advances ,li^ •f'^*'°"« ^ack. It is al^n / -Z^^^ unknown and 
 and that the trS'rSie'fliSt Sa * ^^^^"^ ^"-^t^S tSlr ' *^^*. "s 
 
 y m changing our traditionalZle^^n^'i^St 
 
78 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 In coni.tries of limited extent, tixe diffloultr is easily Erapuled with Bv 
 
 vlS"S=!^ir?s^a^CcTtiSrfse^-'S£l^^ 
 ture fron, the ,ri„eiple, b^ „l,ieh tLe if l^aky deee'ml 7 S '■"-"'' 
 tliese pnnoiples be not wrong overv clock in tb» rT„lt„ i r- V """• '' 
 those on aline due north and soutj S Sl^Z^^7:Z^^t 
 
 ^^ &lrr, *te';fr: jsiat: srct^iit 
 
 providing a remedy for tlie disturbing iuflucnees referred to w ftt 
 W,_^tuey are in harmony with priiiples, th" SuXess^rwhilS^S 
 
 usIStTeaTS;Te,^i£cVtltVt^»firwS^^^^^^^^ 
 
 senses; it is immaterial, without form! withorsubshn^ S .l/"""."! 
 
 tronomical, nautical, and civil time, of'apparent and inean t?mf M ' "" 
 we assign to every individual paint aroimd the surface of th^t'.r,^ ''""I' 
 and distinct times in equal variety. The im Js inh^^^^^^^^^^ 
 there is an infinite number of times Is ot Kis inonnt?J ^ T '-l]^^^ '"^* 
 and at variance with the cardinal trJ^^^^^V:::!-!::::^;;^ ""°"' 
 Time may be compared to a great stream forever flowino onward T > „. 
 nature, in its wutest amplitude, is a unity. We have Im Le Tnff t if ' 
 Lmverse, M'hatever its myriad component narts Th!r +1 • i ' '"* ^n*^ 
 ^0. of Time is con^.tent^ith th^^ZcicE-of ^Vtl^l^^^J'^'^rZ 
 there can be more than one passage of Time is inconceivable ^ '* 
 
 .Sz:j^::S:^n?;r'lSdttfS::Lri^;:^titv^ 
 
 civilization demand that a conipreheLivf svSem sh nl,] ! ':"]'r'1 T^'''' 
 bodying the pnncipal tl«t TlL l.Z^a^^^^:::^^^'^^'^^^^^-- 
 imxte portions of it should be based on, or l,e related L.^l.^'oS LS,v '^"' 
 On these grounds I feel justified in respectfuUv askiu<^r t\w con ■i.io,..f f 
 the Confereu. e to the series of recommendations ilSY^i!;:tr to ^l^J "' 
 
 It. The ],roblem is of universal imT.ortance 4 tfs, n 'l '^'^■"^^:'"^''l i" 
 
 ^'SilzSi:.^^ -''^'''- ^^ ^ syiten^^itr;: -i-;^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 the determination of a ur.it of measuren^^nt, J^dit^^^£X^!Ti'i:^l 
 must have its origin in the motion of the hekveuly l-odie. \^ ±^^^^ 
 uniform thau the mot on of the cartli on it^ ..Yi^ 'I'l, 1 r i ™"^'V" ' """C 
 
 mits of the most delicate mj;.:;ir;;;!i;ira^i:"raii ^;:^'-^^±'r i- 
 
 aluu for a unit lueaaur... It fn,.,,;.!,,... . ,];...,;.,.. /xfi^'^,'.,'\*''^ ""^t •'i^-'i'l- 
 
 ai.iu for a unit luoasure. It furnishes a division of time d-liuite •in, 
 and one winch, without difficulty, can be made plain and manifest 
 
 precisu, 
 
 4 
 
 -xummmt.f^ ,i». J 
 
SUPPLEMEXTARY PAPERS. ^n 
 
 m scenco, i„ cLunerce, and ll^.e^y!;^'^''' "^^^"'^'^'^ f^" '^^'^'^ Purj-o^e 
 .^ 1 he^.,„. .et fortl. in the recommendations has in view three principal ob- 
 
 e«L;?ln!^;!S^lrSi:^S3:i^^^ ^- --^^-^ ohrondogieal ae- 
 
 fonnity and aecuraiy throughout^JgSe"'''^''^''''' '"^^ *^"^ '^^'^"^^^ ""i^ 
 
 mfiueuces as arise frona habi a ri^t^fSaTl cannot?''- ''"''T'y- «"^h 
 must be recognised that it will hi difficult to oh'. ''r'""'^' ^^''« ^'^^^t 
 
 to whioli the mass of men InvP 1 1,. change nnmediately the usaoes 
 
 habit of eating, sleepi g'VmT ^l^^w n^ th^'Zr " "•." ^^^'^^ '''' ^'^ -^^ i» the 
 periocls of the day. We are familiTr l-if f ^^^ ''"^ existence at certain 
 
 these periods are known and d Kll 1/^'" ''"jV^^'^ ''^ t^'° l»'>">-« ''y which 
 roason in any attempt ^ S V Ir t mc IV:'. ^' """T, "^^? ^^'^^ ^^'^ ^'^tle 
 little note of cause and etfect, an l X vitl^ ^i''''?.'''^^ ^'^"'"^ ^'^'^ t^^« 
 oessity of a remedy to some nu rkel irre [dl- tv 5^^ ^' ""^^^^^^and the ne- 
 jeetmm.ble, does au.t bear heaWly upon tl^^rj^'u^ai ""^^^^ generally ob- 
 
 t/Z hK^?t ^'S':^;;:: TSJtr^ "^" T'"^^^' '-*- - ^w«. 
 
 tmn is made in the reeomnZS "n .;" vli^r whill7:"T';" f"' ""^^ "^'^1'*- 
 leased on the principles laid ,lown. the hours and ft^ '•^ckoning would be 
 preciably vary from those with which ^veTv!fllr i "'''^'n' "^'*^'^ "ot ap- 
 111 all ordinary affairs in everv h Sf ?, ^'""'^''■^!:- -^^us, Time-reckoning 
 general system. '" '" ''^^'y ^^^^M,y may be made to harmonize with the 
 
 Standard Time throughout thp T*n;fa-i q* *. ■, ^. 
 
 tablished inaceor-l witffi p, ncbl Ttf * onK''"^^"""^ ^''' '^^«" «^«- 
 tages whi^' may be attaiiied .vJierd/rilv tl ' tt^ "" ^'''^ ^^'"^''^•^ the advan- 
 advantage» have been wiclelv^inpreitSl and nf.'??'''"'' ■ V" ^" ^^^^^^ these 
 upon common life M-as ever so aS o> .K ^ I V '''"?^ mtnnately bearing 
 portant step towards the estaWis lme.^':/o'n; Sem of nV"*""'^/!* ^^ '^" ''"■ 
 It IS designated in the reconHnendationsrC'osmic T?me ^'''*'''^^ ^"»e. or, as 
 
 ^SA!SS;:;;lrr£S:ftShe'";^'T'^-^'^^ been accepted in 
 ev .ry-day life is not un.tttai nab e T t .Sb "^n"'^"?!?^ "^ ^''^""'^ '' "»e in 
 to iiscover before long, that tL ad.,,! ' "'*/ l?""'^ "^. t^o Pcople will not fail 
 ■ .!& will in no way change or >^C^W^^^ot^^^r''^l^''\:'^ Time-reckon- 
 tomed to. It will certanily s'v4e avi^m, i.h^, . 'm''7 ^"^^^ •^^^''^ ^C'^"^- 
 will rise and set to regulate tl eh-' oSffa rs ^ XU f'^' *" 'f' "• '^'^^^ «»n 
 understand the hour of noon, whatever the nu,ut 1 'fu' T'^ '""" ^^^^'^ to 
 as in Scriptural times, or twe ve or ei 'htoP,. n^ \\^" '^'''^' "''''^ t^«'" «i^. 
 
 H-illget up and retire to bed, b gin and m work 'ta'lceb';' w'";""' , ^'"'^'^^ 
 at the same periods of the day .^s at mLtllf ]]J',.\T^^}'''^ '"^'^ ^^""'I'r 
 will remain ^itlmut a chang? dei^n n^ as now on Tl ^'''' ^"^' ^"^toms 
 omena of light and darkness, '''i''"'"''^' ^' "«^^' «" the daily returning phen- 
 
 create s^o bewilde4ent, and that it ;^K^.!^:i:ni£;K';;^ t!K 
 6 
 
80 
 
 UNIVERSAL Oil COSMIC TIME. 
 
 ■ 
 
 stood by the masses. Tho caus'is for sucli a change to many will appear iu- 
 sutlioient or fanciful, hi a fe'V years, however, this feeling must pass away, 
 nud tlie advantages to he gained will become so manifest tiiat 1 do not doni)t 
 so desirable a rutorm will eventually commend itself to general favour, and be 
 adopted in all the atlairs of life. 
 
 Be chat as it may, it seems to me highly important that a comprehensive 
 'rime-system should be initiated to facilitate seientific observations, and de- 
 finitely to establish chronologic il dates ; that it should be designed for general 
 use in connection with railways and telegraphs, and for such other Tnirposes 
 for which it may be found convenient. 
 
 The Cosmic Day set forth in the recommendations would be the date for the 
 world recognizable by all nations. It would theoretically and practically be 
 the mean of all local days, and the common standard to which all local reckon- 
 ings would be referable. 
 
 With regard to the rLckoning of longitude, Isubmitthat Longitude and Time 
 are so intimately related that they may be expressed )jy a common notation. 
 Longitude is simply the angle formed ])y two planes passing through the 
 earth's axis, while Time is the period occupied by the earth in rotating throuuh 
 that angle. If we adopt the system of measuring Time by the revolution \>t 
 the earth from a recognized zero, one of these planes— that through the zero- 
 may be considered lixed ; the other— that through the meridian of the ')lace — 
 being movable, the longitudinal angle is variable. Obviously the variable an- 
 gle ought to he measured from the lixed plane as zero, and as the motion of 
 the earth by which the equivalent time of the angle is measured is continuous, 
 the longitude ought to be reckoned continuously in one direction. The direc- 
 tion is determined by the notation of the Bour-meridians, viz., from east to 
 west. 
 
 If Longitude be so reckoned and denoted by the terms used in the notation 
 <if Cosmic Time, tlie time of day everywiiere througbout the globe M'ould in- 
 variably denote the precipe longitude of the place directly under the mean 
 Hun. Conversely, at the epoch of mean solar passage at any place, the Lomq- 
 tude being known. Cosmic Time would be one and the same with the Longi- 
 tude of the place. 
 
 The advantages of such a system of reckoning and nomenclature, as suij- 
 i.'csted in the recommendations which I now submit, will be, I think self- 
 evident. ' 
 
 TIME AND THE RECKONING OF 
 
 KKCOMMEXDATIONS FOR THE REGULATIOX OF 
 
 LONGITUDE. 
 
 1. IViat a s>)xf('m of Univerml Time he established, with the view of facilitathig 
 .•^l/ii'^hronoas Hcientljic ob.tervatiom, fur diroiiolo(fical. reckonings, for the purpoHe 
 of trade and cuitimerce f/i/ .sea and laud, and for all such mes to which it «.>• ap- 
 jnicable. ^ 
 
 2. That the. si/ntem be established for the common observance of all peoples, and 
 of such a character that it may be adopted by each separate commuuitu, as mati 
 be found expedient, "^ 
 
 3. That the system he based on the principle that for all terrestrial Time-reckon- 
 hijs there he one recof/nized unit of measurement only, and that all measured 
 interoals of Time he directly related to the one unit vieasure. 
 
 4. That the unit meauure be the period occupied by the diurnal revolution of the 
 *a.rth, defined by the mean solar i}assaye at the 'meridian twelve hours from the 
 /'rime Meridian established throuyh Greenwich. 
 
 5. That the unit measure defined as above he held to he a Day absolute ard 
 dcsiynated a Cojinic Bay. ' 
 
 0. That such Cosmic Bay be held as the chronoloqical date of the earth chami- 
 tnrj with the mean solar passage at the Anti-meridian of Greenwich. ' 
 
 i 
 
Im 
 
 J- Thai all dlvi. 
 
 SUPPLEMEXTARY PAPERS. 
 
 'io)is ami multqiks of 
 
 81 
 
 ic 
 
 'line. 
 
 U. That th. r ■ ^'''-''^''^'-'"-■h the cou- 
 
 »Vith regard fr. fl,, „ • ^ ■"*' ^ ' vvii be 
 
 'lofcjgned f> cause as Hnit . ^^'"^ ^'"^^^^ States wl?;^ ^',*' *^'« '' ' t><>a of 
 
 land, md i„ haviiur ea!v .„ '•'^^^'^^ concerned i„ TJ / , , * ^" "^"^■'•looked. l 
 >»g into any othe leS^/^Sf "^"^"^ ^«'- ^^^^^Z TV^"^^ "" 
 <l"^ VK ,v I trust tlie cL erence ifhr •'"*" ^^''^ '^tanda^d Kiv^^ ^':^. ^««ko"' 
 ' extendinc around fi... !!. i"'^.? '''" efive some -x.,r^«.,-.. ""^f/ ^ime. In 
 
 - -^.nta^ouri^'t^SSeHl^^^t" '' "l^^^^^^^'Sl ^" '*-" 
 
82 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 Ex'ract (3) from the Protocols of Scmion 20th Odoher, re/erred to in the 
 
 foreyoivij lie port, j^afire 71. 
 
 Mr. Sanflforcl Fleming, Delegate of Great Britain:— To my mind it is of 
 very great importance that this resolution should he adopted. I have already 
 i,nven "cnerally my views ou tliis question, and therefoic I do not intend to 
 trespass on the attention of tlie Conference beyond saying a very few words. 
 From what I have already ventured to submit, it will be obvious that I hold 
 that all our usages in respect to the reckoning of time are arbitrary. Of one 
 filing there can be no doubt. There is only one, and there can only be one 
 Mow of Time, although our inherited usages have given us a chaotic number of 
 arbitrary reckonings of this one conception. There can be no doubt of another 
 matter ; the progress of civilization requires a simple and more rational system 
 tlian we now possess. We have, it seems to me, reached a stage when a unifi- 
 ■lation of the intinite number of time-reckonings is demanded. 
 
 This unification will be, to a large extent, accomplished if the resolution be 
 adopted, and by adopting it, it seems to me to be in the power of the Confer- 
 ence to confer lasting benefits on the world. 
 
 Universal Time will in no way interfere with local time. Each separate 
 eommunity may continue in the usages of the past in respect to local time, 
 Mr may accept whatever change the peculiar conditions in each case may call 
 for. But the use of Universal Time will not necessarily involve a change ; it 
 will rather ue a( mething added to what all now possess, and it will be a boon 
 t'l those vv'ho ;i\ail themselves of it. 
 
 To the east ot the Prime Meridian all p^ossil)le local days will be in advance ; 
 to the we^t all possible days wiil be behind the Universal Day. 
 
 The Universal Day, as defined by the resolution, Avill at once be the mean 
 of all possible local days, and the standard to Avhich they will all be related 
 by a certain known interval, that interval being determined by the longitude. 
 
 In my judgment, the resolution is an exceedingly proper one, and the Con- 
 feiouce Mill act wisely in passing it. 
 
 \<^\ 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 83 
 
 HIS EXCELLENC 
 
 PRESIDEN 
 
 THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA, TO THE 
 "T OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 
 
 Office of tue Govehnok-Gen-eral's Secretary, 
 
 OiTAWA, 8th April, 1885, 
 SiR,--I have the honour, by desh-e of His Excellency the Governor- 
 IT^m' *; ^'^f^''''\^'' yon herewitli a copy of a despatch (No. 48, 
 1 / th March,) from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressing 
 the high appi-eciation of Her Majesty's Government of the services 
 iendere.1 by Mr. Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., in connection with the 
 rnme 3Iendian Conference at Wnshin'^ton 
 
 I have the honour to be. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 CHARLES J. JONES, 
 For the Governor-Generara Secretary. 
 The President Canadian Institute, Toronto. 
 
 THE EARL OF DERBY, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLO 
 NIE.S, TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE 
 GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA. i^AAhUUVN .NL, 
 
 Downing Street, 17th March, ISS5. 
 My Lord,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your 
 Despatch No. 53, of tlie 24th ultimo, with its enclosures, respectin^r 
 the proceedings of the Prime Meridian Conference at Washington"] 
 
 I have caused tlie papens forwarded to be transmitted to the 
 bcience and Art Dej)artment. 
 
 I t^i.ke this opportunity to request your Lordshii, to inform Mr. 
 feandford Fleming that Her Majesty's Government highly apr)reciate 
 the services rendered by him in connection with this Conference. 
 
 I have, &c., 
 Governob-Geseral, DERBY. 
 
 Ti]j xMost Hon. the Marquis of Lansdowne, G.C.M.G., &c., &c., &v. 
 
 wK --^^vp-trin ^rvfTir i- s^p?' %i 
 
84 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TLME. 
 
 I 
 
 THE RESOLUTIO^•S OF THE WASHINGTON MERIDIAN 
 
 CONFERENCE. 
 
 1!V OTTO STRl'VK, 
 
 DiRKCTOK OF XrrK I.MI-F.KIAL xV.STIlONOMIUAL OrsEKVATORV, PuLTOWA, RusSIA. 
 
 [Translated from the German, pnhliiihed in St. Petersburg, 183,5.] 
 
 _ It 1ms been felt as a positive evil, for a long time, throughout the 
 civilized world, and especially withgeogra])hers and navigatoi-s. that in 
 difierent countries the degrees of geograpliical longitude are referred 
 to difl^rent initial meridians. Tliis multiplication of initial meridians 
 to which, as they are in prominence, these lines of longitude are 
 adapted, and which in each i)articular country corresjyond to the 
 most important observatories, not only causes great complications 
 by the contemj)orary use in different countries of the several pub- 
 lished geograpliical maps, l)ut is likewise for navigators a source of 
 error which can easily lead to mischievous results, and indeed has so 
 led to them. Therefore, for c(!nturies the desire has been very widely 
 entertained for the common acceptance by all nations of one' and tlw 
 same Meridian us the starting jioint for the enumeration of the lines 
 of Longitude, by wliich means this evil would be removed. In the 
 programme of the first Geographical Congress, proposed to be held at 
 Antwerp, in the summer of 1870, public attention was special Iv 
 directed to this question, as the most important subject for consideni- 
 tion ; indec;'' to a certain extent as the chief object to be submitted to 
 the Congress. On account of the German-French war, unfortunatelv 
 the Congress called for that year was not held ; and although since 
 that date the same cpiestion has l>een the subject of preparatory tiis- 
 cussion in later Congresses and Public Conferences, nevertheless the 
 first decided advance in the matter was through the Congress of 
 Delegates of almost e\ery civilized country in the world, ciUIed to- 
 gether in October of last year, in Washington, by the Government of 
 the United States of North America, the most important of the 
 Eesolutions adopted at this International Conference we design here 
 somewhat closely to discuss. 
 
 It is proper to remark, that for a long period with us in Russia 
 [(reparatory me;'sii'^es have been taken in the same direction as that 
 wliieh at tlie Washington Conference was suggested to be followed 
 by the whole world. As a i)roof, it may be s;i,id that :Mr. Struve, 
 shortly after the successful establisliment of the Chief Observatorv 
 in Pultowa, in th.e most positive manner pronounced against th'o 
 establishment of a sijecial First Meridian in Ivussian Cartography. 
 In accordance with this Aievr, in 1813-44 he organized tlu^ great 
 Chronometer Expedition, l)y which the difference '"of Longitude be- 
 tween Pultowa and Greenwich was established with the utmost pi'e- 
 cision, so that in Puissia we were in a i)ositioii to lay down all lines 
 of Longitude, determined or to be determined, with perfect conect- 
 
 < > 
 
 .'WTl 
 
[ 
 
 SUPPLKMKNTAUY PAPERS. g't 
 
 no.ss witli regard to the Moridkn of tlie last nanio.l Ohservatorv 
 wluoli already at that time was tlie most generally in use. 
 
 His Imperial Higluiess the Grand D.:ke Constantino Nicolajevvitch 
 al«o acted, in the same enlightened and liberal spirit, when in his 
 position as High Admiral of the Russian Fleet, which, until 1X53 
 had made use of a Nautical Almanack specially prepared for Russia' 
 lie cancelled its use, and in its place introduced into the Russian Navv 
 tlioJiuglish Nautical Almanack, well known as liasinl on tiie Green- 
 wich Meridian, from which the MorsU Miesiat.eshh (Naval Almanac) 
 was essentia ly a stunted ro-p-oduction. A far more important sto,, 
 was taken, that since that ])oriod npon his order, the Lines of Lono-i- 
 tiule according to the Merhlian of Greenwich are drawn on all .sli 
 Charts produced by the Hydrograpliical Department, and only on the 
 luargm of the Map their relation to Pultowa is marked. In .spite of 
 tins precedent, we have in the meantime remained not entirelv free 
 trom the influence of the unwi.se feeling of nationality which has ad- 
 vanced the claim of Pultowa to be the First Meridian at least for 
 Icussia. It is owing to such national feeling that the fact must be 
 explained that ui)on several Maps issued bv the Head Quarter StatT 
 m contradiction to the views of the Pultowa. astronomers even in 
 instances where the Ma])s have not simplv a local interest, the Lines 
 ot Longitude are referred to Pultowa, and on the margin only the 
 relation which that Meridian beai-s to Greenwich is shewn. 
 
 As already mentioned, this matter took a new phase tlirou.o-h the 
 Antwerp programme, and the interest we felt in the ])roceed- 
 ing-s, became accordingly the more marked. Especially, the aim 
 of the Unilication of Longitude found a zealous r«j)resontative 
 in the person of the then President of the Imperial Acadeuiv 
 ot Sciences, Admiral Oount Liitke. Among other matters he 
 induced the present Director of the Pultowa Observatory publicly 
 to_ set forth his views upon this question, and in accordance 
 with this desire, the latter prei)ared a paper which he read at a 
 general meeting of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, held 
 on the 4th February, 1870. In this ])aper, the conclusions of which 
 the meeting approved, among other points discuss(;d, the; ari;iiineiits 
 M'hich may be adduced in advocacy of the Meridian of Creeuw^h 
 for univer.sal acco[)tance as Fir.it IMcridian, were sulU-ientlv sot forth. 
 The argument suggested that should the immediate acceptance of 
 this Meridian, on account of mistaken national feeling, obtain not 
 only a merely apparent support, but on the other hand e.xporienec 
 serious opposition from the circumstance, that it .serves to determine 
 longitude, as well for Great Britain as for France, conditional] v on a 
 change of notation, so might it be an acceptal)le arrangemeuL tliat the 
 First Meridian to lie nameil should be drawn from that of Green- 
 wich, at a given number of hours, without any addition of minutes 
 and seconds. The reader of the ])aper under such circumstances took 
 
 .'WTII 
 
86 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 xipon Iiiniself to direct speciiil attention to a Meridian twelve Iiourj; 
 distant from Greenwidi, wliicli ini8f.:es throu^iili liiiii hiud only in the 
 liiyli latitudes of the north in the nninhabited neighbourhood oi 
 'J\schuktschenland, near Behrino^ Straits, nnd for the nMuaininrr part 
 of the distance runs tl rough the Pacilic ( )cean and the two Arctic 
 seas of ice. The cstal.lislinient of this Meridiaii, which iiiny 1)0 de- 
 scribed as the nether Greenwich IMeridian, would in any V'ircuni- 
 stanco lead to fewer practical inconveniences than those incident to 
 any other Meridian excepting that of Greenwich itself. 
 
 These views not only found much accord in this country, hut were 
 also favouiahly received abroad. A more earnest inoveinent. there- 
 fore, for the Unification of Longitude notation took place for the tirst 
 tin)e, as it became associated with the desire after uniforniity in the 
 notation of time in international relations; while it became intim- 
 ately connected with our Cartograjdiical requirements, and even ])ene- 
 trated into i)ractical life. It was principally the rapid dt;veloj)ment 
 of the means of communication tlirough railways and telegiaphs 
 which called this desire into life; esjiecially in America, where the in- 
 creased communication and the great extent of countiy, making the 
 ipuwtiou of time one of special importance, doinand(.'d some settle- 
 ment of the matter. 
 
 Befoi-e we enter upon the proceedings of the Washington Confer- 
 ence it will, ])erhaps, be of advantage at this i)lace to sig)iify in a few 
 words the objects to be attained by the uuiHcation of Time notation 
 which make that stej) desirable. All sciences arc in common inter- 
 ested hi the result. Navigation, the Administration of Telegraphs 
 and Railways. Ordinary eveiy-day life, which in its locality is regu- 
 lated by the sun, would not immediately be atfected by it. 
 
 In the first i)]ace, let us look at the siguiiication of tin.' Unilication 
 of Time with regard to science. Thus it Is peifectly plain that bedsides 
 astronomy those sciences are especially interested which have relation 
 to the phenomena of the globe, namely Physics, ]M.;teorologv, and 
 ^[agnetisin. For the last named it is of importance that so "far as 
 possible, identity in the determination of Time shoxdd be established, 
 according to which certain observations which have been or are to 
 be made will be referix'd. It may for examjde be remembeied that 
 for some^tnne past the local time of Giittingen has been used as the 
 Normal Time for simultaneous magnetic observations, because from 
 thence the tirst impulse to such observations was given through 
 Gauss. Similar arrangements, it is true, may be made in each ea'se 
 in the future when there is a question of certa"in delinite obsei'vations 
 1)eing set forth to the same absolute Time ; but it would in like mat- 
 ters much shorten such operations if once for all a Normal Time were 
 established, and it was not necessary on each particular occasion to 
 7nake si)ecial arrangements on the point. It may ai)]jear pai-ado.xical 
 to say that of all sciences, astronomy, in despite of its vocation closely 
 
Sl-I'PLEMEXTAUY PAPERS. 
 
 87 
 
 fact tl.at „st,o ,omora l,osir, tZ ? '■"W"'"'"™ I'^s in ti.e 
 
 ...»l^ a.. „lwa,.« in the L »' t^^ L ^fri'" °''»'r'f°- 
 viiti<),.« fl.nn +!..> v. .• .^ f'^^^v SO to mluce such obser- 
 
 1 , 1 
 
 T 
 
 nv.l-oif „ 1 »^ii>>temi over the earth's surface t 
 
 elat ve signihcauce to liin,. Whereas in otl.er respects nnjtbn t 'n 
 he .IeI,noation of geo,n-a,>ln-cal Longitudes v^.on^sea c a .^ "nf 
 ^3 register of geographical sites, would be of Substantial u^^ we 
 foi the safety of navigation as for convenience in calculation. 
 
 tratLr irr'' ""^.fT^'^'V^'' i^ ^°"W principally be their adnnnis. 
 h'e vl o I w ! U l\ 'Y'^l ajlv-ntages from one Ti„.e notation for 
 to Loo n, 1i 1 1^^'^^^^' ^« solely sent as desired, according 
 
 be^.^ 1 Normal Tnno described, so sharp control cL scarcely 
 
 be exercised over delays or other hindrances, without repeated 
 
 dE^ '^^f •^" ""' ''" Tr^"^ '^^'"'^''^^ °f Universli'xh!: 
 diflitulties in this respect would be i«educed considerably. Thus alsJ 
 the great body of the public would be a gainer, for then evervbodv 
 wo.ild be 111 the position to know with cerUxinty when the deM,atch 
 in question was delivered ; a circumstance which may 1 e of the 
 ^n-eatest importance in many cases, as well in commercial relations 
 as in many other questions of civic life. 
 
 With ro^rard to railway -communication, it is ])ossible to introduce 
 standard June to be observed within the territorv of a sin-de 
 country, or to groui)s of countries bound together by close relations 
 by which the administration of the lines, and the movements of 
 trains may l)e regulated ; while with regard to the public, the Time 
 to be exhibited can still ndh.>re to the Time by which every day life 
 i.s regulated, be it Local or Standard Time. Such has already 'been 
 the case for some time in many countries, and has undoubtedly been 
 attended with great advantages to the interior channels of communi- 
 cation. Thus with us in Russia, an ordinance has been in oi)pratiou 
 lor some time, by virtue of which the moveuients upon all railways 
 should be governed by Pultowa Time, and on some lines, at least, it 
 IS m force. On other lines which have been constructcvl at a later 
 date, this ordinance has been departed from, and in difierent ways 
 t le movement has been re^nilated by the local Time of one of the 
 
88 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 two fevmini, or hy tlio Titiio of somo point ]v\n<r iiitovmLMluite Tins 
 want of cotifoniiity with iis, as it uptx-ars. 'hitlici-fco has not bron-lit 
 to h-^ht any spoeial conso(itiftnces by which injnrv has lesullod • 
 possibly with this ox'ception, tliat occasional stoppai^es have ariseii 
 h'oin tlio irregularity of tlio trains, as for instance, the transport of 
 irmijd.t can bear witness, l^nt tliat throu.-h this want of conforniitv 
 of liine. tl.e more likely danger of collisions has not more frequentlV 
 h.>P|MMie.l, IS indeed to be ascribed to the fact that our railway coin- 
 nuinication with other countries has onlv been partially developed 
 and the rate of speed of the trains, in spite of the greater lengths of 
 single hnes, is considei-ably less thi.n elsewhere. Un.lor these 
 circun.stances, it appears by the free use of tlie telegraph, collisions 
 are avoided But it is to be expocted that with time, this constant 
 untrustworthy expedient will not bo suUicient, and tliat, as a conse- 
 quence, owing to an increased communication, a decided and identical 
 lime will l,e again made obligatory on the administration of all 
 rvussian railways. 
 
 Until lately a .similar condition of things existed in North America 
 with regard to the notation of Time on Railwav.s. There, as with 
 us luulway lime was not governed by a common bindin- law 
 but the administration of single lines accepted, for the movenuMit of 
 trains generally, the origin of Normal Time, wJiich in the easiest 
 manner they could obtain from one of the observatories in the nei-di- 
 IxKirhood ot the line. The complications wiiicli aro.se from this want 
 ot contormity m the enormous increase of railway commiuiication 
 urnishedthe starting point to the extended eifort which was made 
 last year m North xVmerica on behalf of a strict wide-spread re'.-ula- 
 tion on the subject of Time Notation established by the RaiTwav 
 administrations, not simply within the ten-itory of the United States 
 l)ut where possible over the entire continent. Had the matter alone 
 applied to the United States it would have been easy po.ssibly to 
 establish the desired good uiKlerstandin.- either throngh a resolution 
 ot Congress or by a convention of the directors of tla, several lines 
 JMit, at the .same time, the desire arose to inchi.le in the same strict 
 armngement the rail^^^^s of neighbouring states, wliich equallv 
 m the matter of Time Notation wore subjected to local enactment's 
 and incidental changes. This desired arrangement could only be- 
 ontaiued by international agreement. Such an agreei.uMit ol,tain<>d 
 '>y means ot an int(;rnatioiial conference or congress became so 
 much the more desirable wlien this beneficial result, principallv 
 souglit after for the new continent, could equally extend its good 
 results to all the civilized states of the earth : and at the .same time 
 It was to be expected that resolutions passed in such a meeting would 
 be hel.l to be binding on each individual country with an enhanced 
 uegree or lorce. 
 
 It is especially during the last ten years that tho.se por.sons wh,> 
 in North .Im.rica have taken interest in such questions have 
 
 ] 
 
SUPPLEMENTAUY PAPERS. gg 
 
 some .lotern.ination t r "n^ t 'thl Flvst'^M 'T' ^'"•"^'^ ,;-•'" 
 
 a-esent Cl.ancollor of (^veon's University Kin-sto? t/ ;« I ' 
 ns in.lofUti,ablo personal efforts J'^^\J' ^^:::^ 
 
 Ameici .is in Europe have boon gained to the ca.ise. Esonriallv 
 UeC.UK.ulum Institute u, Toronto, the .A^nerican Society if c/'l 
 Engineers, and he American Metrologic. Society of New Yo 
 who m conunon busied themselves with' the rpiestimi an.l apnoin o i 
 r'lT::.;i"""" '^ -nslder the subject,\ind ^.assed reL'lutW 
 toi the furtl er prosecution of the business. The result of these 
 etJorts was that the Government of the United States of Noitii 
 America in Ang.us^t, 1882, was induced through their diplon.atie 
 
 q-resenta ■« at the Governments of all civilized countries to invit,> 
 tli.^_ latter ( , send delegates to an international conference to be held 
 at V\ asJii- gtoii to consider the question. 
 
 It .nu.st be regarded as an important preparation to this confer- 
 ence that scientitic men in Europe had had an opportuuitv before- 
 baiul of exchanging their views on the sul)ject under consideration 
 and were enabled fiom their own standVoint authoritatively tJ 
 recomm(Mid certain resolutions which could count ui)on the support 
 ot then- respective Governments. The initiative was taken by the 
 ^Senate • i the free city of Hamburg which proposed that the subject 
 sliould be brought up at the Congress, summoned to meet in Home 
 lu September, 1883, of European Astronomers and of men interested 
 m Geodes} and in the division of measurement of the degree. The 
 l)ermaneiit Committee of the latter Society willingly accepted the 
 pr_oi)osition, and convened for this ol)ject a nieciing of prominent 
 scientific men, who, beside the immediate matter ot tlie measurement 
 of the degree, issued an invitation to other learned men to take 
 J>art m the deliberatiops, from which a satisfactory opinion with 
 regard to the Unification of Longitude and Time could be expected. 
 It was seen from the l)eginning that with regard to the important 
 matter, the choice of a First Meridan,a marked majority would declare 
 
 Itself in favour of Greenwich, which, apart from all other consiilerations, 
 sufficiently satisfactorily commcndo.'d itself upon the ground that 
 upproxiinat(dy nine-tenths of all the Sea Charts in use on sea voyages 
 are constructed according to this Meridian, so that the comnK)n 
 accei>tanco would be effected in the easiest manner, and would call 
 
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 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
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 relatively for the slightest sacrifice from other countries taken 
 collectively. In the mean tinie, it was by no moans unknown that also 
 other Meridians, namely, that of Paiis and the Meridian distant from 
 it 20" in round numbers, which it has been customary to describe as 
 tliat of Ferro, had well-grounded claims to consideration. Astronomers 
 claimed for the former, that of Paris, that the classic labours of 
 LaT)lace, Bessel, Leverrier, Hansen and others had been based upon 
 this Initial Meridian, which had thus been taken as their starting 
 ])oint on Astronomical Territory. It was urged with regard to the 
 latter, that it was the object of constant reference in School Atlasses 
 of Geimany, Eussia and other lands. On the other hand, with regard 
 to Greenwich, besides the practical advantages already named, it 
 could be especially claimed that by far the majority of geographical 
 ])ositions on the earth's surface, were principally established accord- 
 ing to this Meridian ; and that the Greenwich Observatory for more 
 than two centuries having published continuous observations on the 
 -Moon's motion, aiul through manifold labours and investigations bear- 
 ing on navigation, had rendered such service to geography and navi- 
 gation, which no other institution could adduce, or even in any 
 way approach. 
 
 Iiiduenced 1 .y such considerations, it followed that at the Congress at 
 Rome, the resolution in a certain manner was unanimously adopted 
 to lecommend for general acceptance as First Meridian that of Green- 
 wich. Even the numerous French representatives, many cf them 
 jiersons of imjiortance, did not oppose this step, but by abstaining 
 t'lom voting, contented themselves with this expression of sympathy, 
 with tbe Meridian of Paris so acceptable to them. Likewise, some other 
 r(!solutions bearing upon the subject were at the same time carried 
 with such a large majority as aliiiost to make the vote unanimous : 
 viz., that the Longitudes should be numbered from Greenwich to the 
 East around the whole earth to 3G0" ; that the Universal Time to be 
 introduced, should be Mean Solar Time, taken from the First jVIeri- 
 dian, and that the notation of the latter should be without division 
 of the day in two halve.-?, but carrieil on to 24 hours. A more lively 
 discussion was created by the question, whether the numeration of 
 Universal Time should begin at Greenwich, mid-day or mid-night, 
 was decided in favour of the former. During the consideration of 
 this r< 'Solution, the fact came into strong prominence, that as the 
 present custom of astronomers, and to some extent of navigators, is 
 to reckon the date from noon, the arrangement of details and the 
 difficulties \vhich a departure from this custom would carry with it, 
 would be felt ecpuilly by astronomical chronology, as by the calculator 
 of the Fphemerides. In conclu.slon, two resolutions were accepted 
 by the Congress of Rome, the purport of which was in no way con- 
 nected with its special purpose. One of these set forth, that it was 
 desirable for certain ends, especially for geodesy, that the decimal 
 notation should be introduced into the circle ; and the wish was 
 
 ''■I 
 
SUPPLEMBETARY PAPERS. 
 
 91 
 
 expressed by otliers present, that the Greenwich Mei'idian liaviiv^ 
 been accepted as First Meridian, miglit be looked upon hv tlie British 
 Government as an equivalent, which might lead them to accede to the 
 ]\Ietre Convention of 1875. The hxst result did actually take place 
 last year. 
 
 Li the meantime the Government of the United States had re- 
 ceived replies from the greater number of other Governments, ex- 
 pressing tlieir readiness to send delegates to the proposed Interna- 
 tional Conference ; and after that it had been established in Home, 
 that unanimity in relation to tlie determination of a First Meridian 
 was i)ro])ortionably easy of attainment, the Government of the United 
 States sent invitations to all civilized States to attend a Cont^ress 
 which should be held at Washington October 1, 1884. * 
 
 In this place (Russia) as a further preparation for the Conference 
 on the proposal of the Geographical Society, a Special (Commission 
 was appomted, consisting of representatives of the War and Marine 
 Departments, of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and the Geo- 
 graphical Society, in order to examine into the question in connec- 
 tion with the main line of discussion, to signify the persons to be 
 delegated to Washington on the part of Eussia, and to submit and 
 draw up instructions for their guidance. It may here be incidentallv 
 mentioned that with regard to these instructions, the purport of 
 which was set forth in a short paper written by one of the Con- mis- 
 sion, Lientenant-Colonel Rylke, that in all essential points they fullv 
 agree with the resolutions passed at Washington at a later date. The 
 tollowing delegates to Washington were recommended by the Com- 
 mission and therefor- named by the Government :— 1. The Russian 
 Ambassador to the United States, C. von Struve, Avho throucrh his 
 extended travels and his geographical labours in Central Asia, po.v 
 sesses at the same time special qualities for the scientific discussions 
 which might be looked for. 2. Chief of Caucasian Survey, General 
 Major btebnitzki, well known through his not less comprehensive as 
 carefully executed geodetic labours, and for the marked scientific spirit 
 with winch they have been carried out. 3. Herr Kologruvoff, mem- 
 ber of the Council of Routes and Communications 
 
 Other countries were represented at the Washington Conference 
 as follows :— United States, 5 delegates ; Great Britain, 4 ; Spain, 
 .3 ; Germany, France, Hawaii, Mexico and Chili, 2 each. The re- 
 maining States had one delegate. The diplomates accredited to the Gov- 
 ernment of the United States for the most part also assumed similar 
 duties ; for the prominent questions came before them for considera- 
 tion not so much in a scientific point of view as from the stand{)oint 
 of general use and international communication. But accurate science 
 was also pre-eminently represented at the Congress. Without regard to 
 the m.my experienced men prominent from their geodetic and hydro- 
 graphic labours, who with right may claim to be held as efficient 
 
 I 
 
92 
 
 UXiVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 representatives of the interests of science, the Congress counted in its 
 midst as delegates the workl-renowned Director ofthe Cambridge Ob- 
 servatory, Mr. Adams ; the Associate of the Academy of Sciences at 
 Paris, M. Jansseu ; Mr. L. M. Rutherford, of New York, of acknow- 
 ledged merit by his labo\irs in tlie territory of Astrophysics; the 
 scientific representative of the U. S. Signal Office, Mr. 'Cleveland 
 Abbe. Besides as it opportunely happened that many scientific men 
 were in Washington domiciled, or accidentally there for a ti?ne, the 
 Congress invited them to express their opinion on the matters under 
 consideration ; the head of the American Nautical Almanac, Mr. S. 
 Newcomb, renowned by his genial and comprehensive labours in the 
 lield of astronomy ; the Director of the Coast SurT'ey, Mr. Hilgard ; 
 the oelebracod natural philosopher, Sir William Thompson, and the 
 Director of the Ca)lsruhe Observatory, Dr. Valentiner. 
 
 In tlie whole, 25 countries were represented at the conference. It 
 Avas resolved that voting would be simply by states, with equal 
 authority without regard to the number of representatives, or the 
 .stand-i)oint of national development [Culturstand], the extent of 
 territory, or the amount of population of each country. Tliere were 
 many important j)oints of consideration differing in character, which 
 I'ointed towards this mode of proceeding. Indeed, as it turned out, 
 a procedure essentially different apparently would have led to the 
 same result, as the proceetlings, as they are set forth in the Protocol, 
 testify. In all im[)ortant matters, Greao Britain and the United 
 States went hand in hand with Russia, and this accord on the part 
 of the representatives of those countries, which, at least with regard 
 to extent of territory, were the most affected by the questions under 
 discussion, perceptibly exercised great influence on the result of 
 the vote. 
 
 As the conference on the 1st October, 1884, met in the Diplomatic 
 Hall of the Department of State, in Washington, they immediately 
 selected as President the Honourable Admiral Rogers, of the American 
 Navy. The prudence, skill, and impartiality with which he presided 
 over the proceedings are sufficiently established in the record of the 
 Protocol. Lieut.-General Strachey, of the English, M. Janssen, of 
 the French, Dr. Cruls, of the Brazilian Legation, were appointed 
 Secretaries. 
 
 The conference held eight sittings between October 1st and Nov- 
 ember 1st ; some of which were i)roIonged for many hours. After 
 several delegates, among them those of Russia, had made the 
 declaratiou that they were unable to consider the resolutions of the 
 conference as binding on the countries which they represented, and 
 tliat they could only pledge themselves to recommend to their res- 
 pective governments, such resolutions as they might vote for, the 
 determination was then taken as to organization, and the mode of 
 conducting the business of the congress. With regard to the essential 
 
 m\ 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 93 
 
 \J 
 
 business of tlie congress, after a debate, in some respects often 
 animated, the following eight resolutions were passed : — 
 
 I.— That it is the opinion (;f this congress that it is desirahle to adopt 
 a single Prime Meridian for all nations, in place of the multiplicity of 
 initial Meridians which now exist.— [r^/nwr/zio;/.-,/// adnpUd.] 
 
 II. — That the conference proposes to the governments here repre- 
 sented the a(loi)tion of the Meridian passing,' through the centre of the 
 transit instrument at the 0])servatory at Greenwich, as the Initial 
 Meridian for Longitude.— [^ yes, ;,•',.-'; nan, 1 ; almtainhuj, &'.] 
 
 III.-- -That from this Meridian Longitude shall he counted in two 
 directions up to ISO degrees, East Longitude being plus a»id West Longi- 
 tude Ht«««.s. — [Ayes, 14.; noes, 5; ahdaininij 1.] 
 
 IV.— That the Conference proposes the adoption of a Universal day for 
 all purposes for which it may be found convenient, and which shall not 
 interfere with the iise of local or other Standard Time where desirable. 
 — [Ayes, 23 ; ahstaininij, i'.] 
 
 v.— That this Universal day is to be a mean Solar day ; is to liegin 
 for all the world at the moment of mean midnight of the initial meri- 
 dian, coinciding with the beginning of the civil day and date of that 
 Meridian, and is to be counted from zero up to twenty-four hourt^.— 
 [Ayes, 15 ; noes, 2; abstaining, 7.] 
 
 VI.— That the Conference expresses the hope that as soon as may 
 be practicable the astronomical and nautical days will be arranged 
 everywhere to begin at mean midnight.— C'arrief/ without division. 
 
 VII.— That til. Cimference expresses the hope that the technical 
 studies designed to regulate and extend the apjilication of the decimal 
 system to the division of Angular Space and of Time shall ))e resumed 
 so as to permit the extension of this application to all cases in which 
 it presents real advantages.- J /y^^*', 21 ; ahsiaining, 5.] 
 
 VIII. — That a copy of tlie llesolutions passed by ;his Conference 
 shall be communicated to the Government of the United States of 
 America, at whose instance and within whose territory the Conference 
 has been convened. — [Adopted unanimously.] 
 
 The first Resolution was manifestly purely formal. It merely 
 stated the end for which the Congress was called together, some- 
 what more fully than had been done in the invitation. The last, 
 resolution is also of the same character, a formal conclusion of the 
 matters under consideration, as the results looked for will lead to 
 further diplomatic proceeding with regard to the resolutions adopted. 
 
 We beg leave to enter here into some further discussion with 
 regard to the other six resolutions. 
 
 During the discussion o)i the choice of the First Meridian the 
 French delegates made the proposition that in place of passing 
 through a specified observatory, the choice should, if possible, be 
 made of an entirely neutral Meridian. Plausible as this proposi- 
 tion appears at the first glance to set aside all national jealousies, so 
 the very definition of what was me^ut by an absolute neutral 
 Mericlian, at once liit upon serious difficulties. Moreover the 
 proposition appeared even in a more unfavourable light upon closer 
 
94 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 consideration of the conditions necessary to satisfy a neutral Meri- 
 dian. For to bo of itiii)artance as a Firsc Meridian among others, ami 
 in order to admit of no amliiguity it must contain in itself a tleixir- 
 tnre from the ])rinci[)le of neutrality b}' the determination of its 
 position of Lon^dtude through an observatory in the noighbourhootl 
 to be designattid authoritatively. 
 
 Tiie idea of selection on grounds of neutrality was therefore set 
 aside l)y a great mujority. The remark of M. Jaussen, on the occa- 
 sion of tlie discussion of this subject must be recognized as most just. 
 Namely, that the Meridian of Ferro, introduced at the commence- 
 ment of the KStli century, through J.>e L'Tsle, and subsec^uently 
 brought into common use, lying 20'' to tlie west of that of Paris, by 
 that fact furnished a marked objection to its selection as the common 
 "First Meridian, for from this circumstance it had become purely a 
 French Meridian, and thus, to the great disadvantage of all geograpliy, 
 the Meridian of Ferro had lost its international or neutral character. 
 
 After the theory of a neutral Meridian was set aside, the grounds 
 on which Greenwich as the starting point of longitude was advocated, 
 came into prominence with their fullest force, and the choice of it as 
 the initial Meridian, followed almost with unanimity, France and 
 Brazil as advocates of the neutrality principle, abstained from v -ting, 
 and ouly the representative of San Domingo, M. de Galvan, voted 
 positively against Greenwich. The latter, however, added that his 
 negative vote must only be taken as an expression of his sympathy 
 with the principle of neutrality. 
 
 The three succeeding Resolutions, the numbering of Longitudes 
 with different signs. East and West from Greenwich ; the accei)tance 
 of an Universal Day for special purposes ; and the accord of this 
 Universal Day with the Time Keckoning of civil life under the 
 First Meridian, were in their essence internally connected one with 
 the other. The discussion in the Conference accordingly was directed 
 at the same time equally to the thi'ee Resolutions, althour;h the vote 
 npon them was given on each proposition separately, I iy a matter 
 worthy of attention, that the second, which set fovln the main 
 principle, was the only one which obtained an almost unanimous vote, 
 while for the two others many countries abstained from voting, some 
 of the smaller territories even voting negatively. An explanation of this 
 manifestation is found in the fiict that a great number of the Delegates 
 were not provided with special instructions in regard to particular 
 questions, but had only received as a rule of conduct that they should 
 hold to the Resolutions of the Congress at Rome, which in the.se two 
 particular points had decided in the opposite direction. These Dele- 
 gates evidently did not feel themselves at liberty to depart from what 
 had been laid down at Rome, even when their own personal, views 
 in the course of the discussions at Washington rather inclined them 
 to the prevailing direction of the Resolutions there brought forward, 
 
 .y 
 
^r^m^y^'^rrrfi^l 
 
 1} 
 \ 
 
 J 
 
 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 an, 
 
 on the ground of common utility and their confoiumbi.lity to the 
 requirements of the case. 
 
 In Rome, namely, it was proposed that the Loiii,'itudes departinc/ 
 trom the custom observed, should be numbered around the whole 
 earth from West to East, and this proposition was there accepted 
 witliout further discussion ; so that nothing definite is known con- 
 cerning the reasons on which this resolution was founded. In Wash- 
 ington, on the other hand, this question was fully discussed. It was 
 there expressly and forcibly urged that the resolution adopted at 
 Kome was fr.-.ught with mischief for Cartography, that a departure 
 from the numbering in use ± IBO'^ from the Initial Meridian, in no 
 way offered any scientific advantage, and that the numbcrinii of 
 
 ^;'"?'*^t-^'' ^^^'~**'® 2^ ^'^'"'^ °f ^^^ ultimately asked-for change 
 ot Uyic Time into proi>osed Universal Time— from want of practice 
 would cause great difficulties and complications. It resulted accord- 
 ingly that the maintenance of the system in use, found no special 
 effective opposition from any side. 
 
 It was different with regard to the question whether Universal 
 lime should commence with Greenwich, mid-day or mid-night. This 
 question m Rome, as in Washington, was discussed in detail. At 
 Rome the preference was given to mid-day, as thereby the interests 
 ot astronomers and navigators were especially brought into promin- 
 ence. At Washington, on the other hand, the seamen who were 
 present at the Congress maintained that the new principle was of no 
 actual importance for men of their calling, a view which was held 
 also by the Russian naval men. 
 
 It was also mentioned that already in the United States Marine it 
 was a common practice as in ordinary civic life to count the com- 
 mencement of the day from midnight. Consequently the argument 
 came with greater weight in the Washington Congress that the trans- 
 lation ot the commencement of the Universal Day to Greenwich mid- 
 day would ciaiso considerable distuil^ance to Trade and Commerce in 
 the moat populous territories of the world ; while at these places dur- 
 ing the most important business hours, in tlie period approaching mid- 
 day, a double set of dates must come into use. In the presence of an 
 argument of this character, the interests of the astronomer, which 
 alone must suffer from the determination must naturally be placed in 
 the background. So, as above remarked, the resolution to take mid- 
 night at Greenwich as the commencent of the Universal Day was 
 carried by a two-thirds majority, 7 countries abstaining from votine 
 2 voting negatively, °' 
 
 _ During the discussions on the Universal day an opportunity was 
 given to Mr. Sandford Fleming to submit his generally well-known 
 opinions as to the form in which the common acceptance of Universal 
 Time can take the place of the ordinary time affecting civil life which 
 in each particular place depends on the rising and setting of the sun. 
 7 
 
 « < 
 
m 
 
 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 These opinions have taken root in North America. For about a year 
 especially by the impulse given by the administrations of railways, ih^ 
 United States and Canada, not through force of law, but by common 
 arrangement of those interested, have been divided into six divisions 
 within the boundaries of which the time notation of ordinarv life al! 
 though 11. a strict sense answering only to the middle Longitude of the 
 Time-division i. taken as a constant, which in the successive time 
 divisions each differs from the other a full hour. According to the 
 communications of the delegate of the United States, Mr W F 
 Alien this .arrangement has been accepted by not less than 85 'per 
 cen of the cities of the United States containing 1 0,000 inhabitants 
 and 80 per cent, of the administrations of railways affected. For ht 
 period no practical difficulties have been reported even in those nlaoo 
 where the true Time of the place differs half an hour fr^m he fe 
 lon-time introduced. But that some necessary difficulties must be 
 experienced by this arrangement in actual civic life is pr^eHy the 
 observation that within these Time-divisions where at the boundCfes 
 there is a clear round hour where one can differ from the other cer 
 tain everyday occupations, for example, the hours of labour of the day- 
 aboiirer with regard to the same use of day light must be establishTd 
 ma differe^rt manner with regard to each other, according as the spot 
 under consideration lies to the east or western boundary of the Div's 
 ion. How this mode of proceeding is regarded by the inhabitant^ of 
 the praine-land the report in no way informs us. It woufd h;w 
 ever, be a matter of surprise if serious complications did not aZ 
 
 tres apart [1 2-5th miles] or are yet nearer neighbours, must raake 
 use of Time notations which differ an entire houi? So it forcl itself 
 on our attention that in a community of countries of wi'Teu*^^^^^^ 
 consists, in which individual states, apart from their geographTcal 
 position gravitate to one side more than the other in th^eir^commer 
 cial, industrial, or political relationship, that by the adoption ofTmi- 
 lar proceedings they would be subjected to emLrrassments perfecTlv 
 unsupportable Nevertheless, the attempt made in Americans fuD 
 of interest and instruction, and by the favourable result Xh it is 
 said he firs year has effected, it becomes a matter for serous reflec 
 
 the United states and perhaps will be accepted by other countries 
 
 o? 30 ?J T' T^^'VV T^'"'''^ P°«^^^°^ ^^d ««^rcely an extent 
 t .1 . S "f If ^'*"'^' ^^^^' ^''^^^y facilitated its introduction 
 In any case the further extension of the principle is yet in the cate 
 gory of experiments, and for this reason the wLhington Co„feience 
 did not recognize that it was in a position to offer a rf solution on the 
 subject, or even to enter into its discussion in detail 
 
 It might be remarked that the method adopted for the period of 
 dating the Universal Day accepted by the Conference, would not 
 
 I 
 
 > I ; 
 
 r " 
 
SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 97 
 
 Im 
 
 f' " 
 
 interfere witli the system followed by astronomers. That astronomers 
 woukl quietly remain in their old customs without grieving them- 
 selves as to the arrangement of a matter indifferent to them. At a 
 period when everything tends to the simplification of reciprocal 
 relationships, it must appear to us desirable that the numeration of 
 date differing from the rest of the world, must also be abandoned by 
 astronomers, and indeed for the greater reason, that in modern times 
 the mission of many observatories is not simply to subserve scientific 
 purposes, but also to unite with them matters of practical utility. 
 The latter are thrown into active communication with the outer world 
 which, with a double notation of the date, would be much prejudiced! 
 The sixth resolution of the Washington congress, with regard to Time 
 Notation, unanimously voted, which expresses the hope that as soon 
 as it appear practicable to carry out the principle, astronomers and 
 navigators should introduce into their practice the principle of dating 
 the day from midnight, carries this view. The Russian delegates 
 joined in this strongly felt hope ; although, in the instructions given 
 to them, this question had not been mooted. 
 
 The seventh resolution, submitted according to the wish of Hen- 
 Janssen [recommendation, that the studies over the Decimal Divi- 
 sion of Angles and Time should be resumed] intrinsically stands in 
 no relationship with the propositions which were submitted to the 
 Washington conference, and was from the first declared by the 
 President as not coming within its powers. But a majority of those 
 present, out of regard to the French delegates, and out of considera- 
 tion for the indirect form in which the resolution was set forth, 
 declared that it was permissible to vote upon it. Accordingly, 
 without further discussion, it was almost unanimously accepted. 
 
 It is now asked by everybody, whether there is any prospect that 
 the Washington Resolution- will come into operation, and by what 
 means that result may be attained? In fact they are to be regarded 
 principally as an authoritive expression of men enjoying public con- 
 fidence in the different countries whose Governments in no way have 
 pledged themselves unconditionally to accept the Resolutions and to 
 give them the forr . of law. It, however, can be foreseen, that sustained 
 by these important expressions of opinion, the logic of facts, and the 
 necessity for the realization of these resolutions will possibly in no 
 distant time lead to that result. Therefore, naturally it comes to be 
 pre-eminently a duty for those who in the different countries are in 
 the position ■';o exercise influence in this direction, to make this influ- 
 ence felt in the sphere of their labours. 
 
 It may be considered as certain that the use of the Greenwich 
 Meridian for Cartography and the numeration of Longitude will 
 shortly, and without dfficulties being cr(iated, be introduced into all 
 countries. In this matter, thti organs of the Governments of the three 
 most widely extended countries, Russia, Great Britain, and the 
 
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 98 
 
 UMVERfiAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 United States of Nortli America, have come to an uiiilerstanding, ;iiid 
 hi other coiintries, such as (lennany and Italy, the like result n).;y 
 he looked for, as the same Meridian is itlrt>ady there legally in- 
 troduced in the preparation of the llydrographic Charts. Fossihly 
 France, out of national feeling, may for some time appear as 
 holdiixg hack. Eventually, however, it may be lookeil for, that rcganl 
 for th(,' common good, and for the actual interests of its own n.ivigji- 
 tion, nuiy cause the Government of th;it country to make the unitii-.i- 
 tion complete. Wo may, thei'efore, regard the chief oliject of tin* 
 Washington Conference, namely, the estahlishmont of the First 
 Meridivn, from which all the remaining (}uestions an; more or less 
 natural consequences, as satisfactoi'ily Bolved. 
 
 Possibly the introduction of Universal Time may experience greatei 
 difficulties in the administration of commercial institutions, as this inno- 
 vation will act upon a numerous class of people, and awaken new ideas 
 on questions with which they have had little occasion to make them- 
 selves fam'liar. In the mejantime, according to the opinion of men 
 capaV)le of a])preciating these difficulties, at least in Russia, where 
 there is great extent in Longitude, besides whore the ideas over the 
 differencDS of Time Notation ai'e moi-e complicated than elsewhere, 
 they are less important than at the first glance they would appear to 
 be. It is to be expected that at the present time the constantly re- 
 peated Congresses on Railway, Post and Telegraph Administration 
 will soon occupy themselves with this matter, and sustained by the 
 authority of the Washington Congress, will call into pi-actice the 
 Resolutions in this respect which were passed there. 
 
 Much earnest reflection, on the other hand, must be given to the 
 desire ex[)ressed at the meeting, that Astronomical Time Reckoning 
 should be brought in accord with the commencement of the day in 
 civil life. 
 
 [n this matter astronomers have not simply to abandon a custoni 
 of long standing, and consequently to make conditional chaiiges of 
 pr.ictic(! established for many years, but at the s;i me time astronomical 
 chronology is disturbed, which it is easily understood, must exercis(! 
 a marked effect on the comprehension of all problems bearing upon 
 motion. Without doubt, the astronomer must make a great sacrifice 
 for the fulfilmrnt of this desire ; but in reality this sacrifice is not 
 gi-eater tluui that entailed on our forefathers, when they passed from the 
 Julian to the Gregorian Notation of Time, or when they altered the 
 commencement of the year ; a sacrifice of convenience, by which we 
 yet suHer when it becomes necessary to refer to phenomena of remote 
 dates. At this period we must the less stand in fear of a like sacri- 
 fice, when by such means an acknowledged existing non-accord be- 
 tween science and ordinary life can be set aside : a non-accord which 
 it is true in individual cases does not press heavily on the astronomer, 
 but which is a constant sour-^e of inconvenience! for non-professional 
 
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 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 
 
 99 
 
 astronomers, who are desirous of making use of astronomical informa- 
 tion. And in such respect this sacrifioe ceases so to ho considered 
 and is transformed into an act of public utility with regard to all 
 astronomical details which stand in clear relationship with the outer 
 world, in which almost daily conflicts come to the surface between 
 the different designations of dates. Conflicts, among others, which 
 even are injurious to astronomical labours in such observatories, 
 where observ:<,tions are continually adjusted to the day. 
 
 Great Britain, apparently, ha.s the greatest reason to be satisfied 
 with the Washington Resolutions, for, in her case, there is the 
 greatest accom[)lishment of her wis >os, with a minimum of discom- 
 fort and sacrifice. The cartograpiiy of the whole Kingdom and its 
 Colonies is already based on the Meridian of Greenwich, and the 
 notation of time in commercial relatir.ns in civil life in England and 
 Scotland is determined l)y mean Grcienwlch Time, which hereafter 
 also will be recognized as Universai Time. This preference is a 
 tribute of gratitude for the immense expenditure of time and labour 
 which for moie than two centuries Enirli-sh astronomers, navigators 
 and geographers have continuously bestowed on geography and navi- 
 gation, far exceeding all that in this respect has been done by all 
 other countries. But, on the other hand, this preference has 
 imposed upon England the moral obligation to exert herself to carry 
 out earnestly the wishes expressed at the Washington Conference, 
 namely, the establi«hment of accord betv/een ordinary Astronomical 
 iind Nautical Time notation. It is deserving of comment that this 
 obligation is recognized and that the present Asti-onomer Royal, Mr. 
 H. M. Christie, already has taken the first step in this direction. 
 Since the 1 st of January of this year, die date of observations, and 
 chiefly in the interior economy of the Greenwich Observatory, the 
 date will be set forth equally for the mean Greenwich Time 
 hitherto used and also for XJniveisal Time. In all the publications 
 issued from this Observatory the old mode of notation will be main- 
 tained until it appear advisable to use exclusively Universal Time. 
 At the same time Mr. Christie has given instructions that the great 
 dial which stands at the entrance to Greenwich Observatory, which 
 in a manner regulates the time for the whole of England, being con- 
 tinually brought into requisition by the public, henceforth will show 
 Universal Time from midnight to the 24 succeediug hours. It must 
 appear not less important that the directors of the Nautical 
 Almanac have in deliberation whether and when the corresponding 
 changes in its arrangement with regard to all other disseminated 
 Ephermerides are to commence in order to make them accorc, ./ith 
 the Date-notation of Universal Time. Possibly it might be arranged 
 to come to pass for the year 1890. 
 
 While the Directors of the Pultowa Observatory make their full 
 acknowledgment to the Astronomer Royal for this precedent which 
 
100 
 
 UNr^EnSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
 
 hoH been eHtabhahorl, so are they ready to follow the example • and 
 this fact leadH ,^the more to expect that also this cour7 will le 
 adopted by the Washington Naval Observatory, as in the AnTer can 
 Marine the Date-notation from midniglit hmLn already accoptod 
 It IS only m the matter of the i)„riod when Hie r)nfn IZ^^,- 
 according to Universal Time, should be in^^^Jl^^^;:^ 
 t ons of tlie observatories, that we feel inclined to recommend E 
 there shonld be delay until in this n^spect the most i.eiSpl 1 
 understanding be attaine<l by all astrinomers, in order ravokl « 
 much more cti tica distm-bance in astronom^Jal ohrono ogy wh h 
 would arise, if the transition to the new Date-notation was not eau-dlv 
 followed on all sides We are desirous, accordingly, of unrest in a 
 suitable time-point for the commencement of the ye;r, for f hS the 
 Nautical Almanac would inaugurate the changes correspInJIn. o 
 the requirements named. The latter has before been said S cone 
 to pass in the year 1890. We would, however, ourselvesZfer the 
 change to take place, in the first instance, with the chan^^^ of 1 e 
 century. Until that date, it would Drobablv W. fl,« . *!■ 
 proceeding of all astronomer, with genStnln\\oYooTr^rrdt 
 his period of transition, and it would more easily stamp itself on he 
 memory of all who hereafter would be busied in iiwL Sons in 
 which exact chronology plays a part. "^vtHu^ations, m 
 
 In conclusion a circumstance mry be mentioned which will be of 
 interest to a wider circle of the r .lie. In the WashingtorConfer 
 ence It is true every resolution was avoi.led which could d'rect^v be 
 considered as an influence on ordinary Time reckoning. But neverthe 
 less an oppor unity was offered to the Russian delegates to S iTe' 
 d ' 3' t .' 7^«"\"^^"^ i* f°r consideration Ihat it cerSy was 
 desi able to introduce into ordinary Time-notation, as it is it wouM 
 be also acceptable for Universal Time, to set aside the exceeditrem 
 bariv^smg division of the day in two halves of 12 sim^-laX'namcd 
 hours, and in their place again introduce a continuous no^t L to "H 
 as has for some time already taken place in different counter Thi 
 Idea nas visibly fallen on ground well prepared to receive it and 1 
 ready there is every prospect that the fruit will ripen. The instruc 
 tionsof the Astronomer Royal, which bear closJ re ations to C" 
 versal Time, through the exhibition of the great clock of GreenS 
 Obseivatory divided into 24 hours in order to accustom the pubHc of 
 that country to the continuous hour notation for the entire davL. 
 been greeted in the intelligent circles of England as T appears tlh n 
 thusiasm as the simpler means of avoidin| the so frequent nrttP.nf 
 uncertainty whether forenoon or afternoon\e mean .T' T W 
 not quite easy to explain with any correctness, from whS date Td 
 upon whai grounds the present division of the day at loon infn Zt 
 equal parts is followed : especially as the ancientpfctr (f r e^^^^^ 
 pie with the Hebrews in antiquity) teaches us that the numberinrthe 
 hours in one series practically offers no difficulty. At aTl events a 
 
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SUPPLBMldiNTARY PAPERS. JQI 
 
 thn diviainn ^f fk ^^ ^®^^ '^^"^^ mid-da-^ testifies not to 
 
 ened by the circumstance that in some countries namely ir Jtlh^fnd 
 Bohemia, even to the latest times, clocks on the to ^s of whth the 
 la^er sxze permitte i all the 24 hours to be shown on heL dia Ite 
 had them so markeu xnd with works adapted to the movement In 
 the present condition .f the art the cause for short^^nnrthrnotation 
 of he hours Las entiroly passed away, and at the same t!me the posf 
 
 Washington /onferen^LtoVl^^f^^^^^^^^^^ ^ZV^^ 
 to It, has rendered a groat service to all mankind. ^ 
 
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' " I ' ■<!-■', I ..Iff 
 
 The Earth itself becomes the Standard Chr^ 
 The Solar passaee is everywhere the Index 
 
i 
 
 the Standard Chronometer ior all /i/ations. 
 ry where the Index of Cosmic Time. (s«epageSo.)